South Korean minister underneath fireplace for saying 69-hour work week plan ‘helpful’ for working mothers
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South Korean Labour Minister Lee Jung-sik acquired backlash after defending longer work week as ‘helpful’ for working moms. The South Korean authorities proposed a rise within the work week to 69 hours from 52.
Commuters cross a zebra crossing, amid the coronavirus illness (Covid-19) pandemic in Seoul, South Korea, February 3, 2021. (Reuters photograph)
By India Today World Desk: South Korean Labour Minister Lee Jung-sik on Thursday stated that lifting the weekly work hour cap to 69 hours from 52 will really assist working moms. He stated that this may give working moms extra decisions and assist them elevate kids, sparking outrage amongst critics of the transfer who consider that this may solely find yourself hurting ladies.
In January, it was reported that South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol wished to permit individuals to work as much as 69 hours every week – up from 52 hours – and financial institution extra time hours in trade for break day, a plan he hoped would promote household progress alongside productiveness, reported The Independent.
When requested whether or not the labour reform proposal will assist South Korea’s dwindling fertility charges, Lee stated, “We’ll introduce bold measures to help cut working hours during pregnancy or while raising children.”
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The regulation must be handed by South Korea’s nationwide meeting, the place the president’s political opponents maintain the bulk. The opposition have criticised the plan, with one consultant, Park Yong-jin of the principle opposition Democratic Party of Korea, labelling the plan as a “shortcut to population extinction”.
The labour ministry disregarded this criticism saying that rising the weekly work hour will “only add more choice”.
The Korean Women’s Associations United opposed the transfer and feedback by the labour minister. In a current assertion, the ladies’s affiliation stated males will work lengthy hours and be exempt from care tasks and rights, ladies must do all of the care work.
South Korea has the bottom fertility charge on the planet – 0.78 in 2022 and 0.81 in 2021, based on the most recent information.
According to Associated Press, the inhabitants of South Korea shrank for the primary time in 2021, stoking fear {that a} declining inhabitants may severely harm the financial system – the world’s tenth largest – due to labour shortages and better welfare spending because the variety of older individuals will increase and the variety of taxpayers shrinks.
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On Wednesday, President Yoon ordered “bold measures” to sort out the nation’s record-low start charge. “Please come up with bold and sure measures for the low birth rate so that they can be felt by the people,” presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon quoted the president.
The labour reform proposal was first unveiled in December and was formally introduced on Monday. It says that that is an try and carry extra labour flexibility within the nation and to enhance work-life steadiness in a rustic the place many ladies are compelled to decide on between their careers and elevating kids.
“It will make it legal to work from 9 am to midnight for five days in a row. There is no regard for workers’ health and rest,” the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions was quoted by The Independent.
Lee Yoon-sun, a 29-year-old workplace employee was quoted as saying: “Working long hours when you have a heavy workload and then resting when you are less busy seems like a pattern that will lead to an irregular life, affecting having children and taking care of them.”
Lee Jae-myung, chief of the principle opposition Democratic Party with a parliamentary majority, stated on Wednesday that his occasion would block the invoice, reported Reuters.
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Published On:
Mar 11, 2023
