The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 14th that it has reorganized last year’s Working Hours Reduction Roadmap Promotion Team into the ‘Implementation Task Force.’ This new body will be responsible for thoroughly monitoring and managing the tasks outlined in the tripartite declaration at the field level. The original promotion team, launched on September 24, 2023, held 25 meetings over three months and announced the tripartite declaration and roadmap tasks on December 30, 2023. The reorganization aims to strengthen the practical implementation of reduced working hours policies.
The Implementation Task Force includes all members from the previous team, including representatives from labor, management, and experts, ensuring continuity in discussions. The task force will check the progress of roadmap tasks for 2024, conduct surveys on night workers, and review the status of industries exempt from working hours regulations. The government has allocated a total of KRW 936.3 billion for support projects this year, with KRW 462.4 billion dedicated to work-life balance support for 112,000 workers. Newly introduced projects like ‘Work-Life Balance +4.5’ will provide up to KRW 7.2 million per worker annually for companies adopting a 4.5-day workweek without wage cuts.
Priority support of KRW 100,000 per month is available for workers in life and safety-related industries, shift system reform companies, and non-metropolitan workplaces, with an additional KRW 9.6 million per worker annually for new hires. Up to KRW 10 million will be provided to 200 workplaces for installing electronic attendance management systems, and 4,784 workplaces will receive free HR and labor consulting for improving work methods. Furthermore, KRW 463 billion will support 1,705 workplaces in adopting AI-based systems to enhance productivity and prevent industrial accidents.
To revitalize small businesses and local economies, KRW 10.9 billion will be invested. The government will match travel fund contributions from companies and workers to encourage vacation use and tourism spending. Each worker can accumulate KRW 200,000, with companies adding KRW 100,000 and the government matching another KRW 100,000. Major resort condos nationwide will also be offered at discounted rates. Task force leader Bae Gyu-sik emphasized that the tripartite declaration, the first in 15 years, is a result of social dialogue based on trust and respect, and stressed the importance of continued discussions for swift implementation.
The launch of the Implementation Task Force and the substantial government funding mark a pivotal step toward labor market innovation and the spread of work-life balance culture in Korea. The introduction of AI-based smart factories and consulting services for workplace innovation is expected to significantly boost productivity, especially among SMEs. The tripartite cooperation model involving government, labor, and management sets a strong example for building social trust and achieving sustainable growth.