Innovation Party proposes super-metropolitan special zone bill excluding special provisions for 52-hour workday

On the 4th, the Fatherland Innovation Party proposed the so-called 'Better Ultra-Metropolitan Special Zone Act', which excludes special labor provisions, such as the application of exceptions to the 52-hour workweek, from the Ultra-metropolitan Special Zone Act proposed by Rep. Park Sang-hyuk of the Democratic Party of Korea.

Rep. Seo Wang-jin said at a press conference at the National Assembly on this day, "We will provide support to corporations as much as the Democratic Party's plan, but we will clearly draw a line through law that should not be crossed."

Previously, on the 20th of last month, Rep. Park Sang-hyuk of the Democratic Party, the ruling party secretary of the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee, proposed the 'Mega Special Zone Bill' under the name of the 'Ultra-wide Special Zone Bill', which includes the contents of government-level corporate support measures and fostering regional strategic industries related to Honam semiconductors.

In addition to provisions for corporate support, the bill includes various labor-related special provisions.

The Innovation Party bill submitted by Rep. Seo excludes the special provision for applying exceptions to the 52-hour workweek for high-income and research workers in Rep. Park's bill and deletes the special provision allowing unpaid holidays and expanded dispatch for foreign investment companies.

In addition, the bill establishes no more than one special zone in each region so that corporate investment can be concentrated, and establishes a 'Labor, Management and Civil Government Coexistence Council' to discuss special zone plans, labor conditions, environmental impacts, etc.

Rep. Seo met with reporters after the conference and said, "Even within the Democratic Party, there are many lawmakers who have serious concerns about labor-related special provisions," and added, "I think it will go through a process of adjustment during the (National Assembly) discussion process."

In relation to this, the Democratic Party also separately submitted a super-metropolitan special zone bill at the end of last month, in addition to Rep. Park's bill, excluding special provisions for applying exceptions to the 52-hour workweek.

The Democratic Party has announced its policy to review this bill submitted by Rep. Choi Ki-sang, the ruling party's secretary-general of the National Assembly's Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee, and Rep. Park's bill by merging them.