YOON DISAPPROVES 69-HOUR WORKWEEK

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Ever since President Yoon ordered relevant ministries to re-examine the government's '69-hour workweek plan', the Presidential office continues to deliver its stance on the issue, saying that the president believes that a workweek exceeding 60 hours would be unreasonable, and that the absence of an appropriate cap on work hours in the government's plan is regrettable. Main opposition Democratic Party criticized the president for passing the blame after selecting the workweek reform as his administration's key policy.

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The presidential office has been holding briefings for three days in a row to quell the controversy over its plans to introduce a 69-hour workweek. This time, the senior secretary for social affairs, who oversees the workweek reform, personally stepped in. He said the president believes that a workweek exceeding 60 hours, even with extended work hours included, would be unreasonable.

[Soundbite] Ahn Sang-hoon(Senior secretary for social affairs) : "President Yoon says the absence of an appropriate cap on work hours in the government’s plan is regrettable. He has ordered that the matter be revised."

The presidential office says the Employment and Labor Ministry did not make it clear that an extended workweek of maximum 69 hours would be possible. The remarks apparently mean the presidential office did not receive proper reports at the beginning, which resulted in policy confusion. However, the study group on future labor market, which provided ideas for the government's labor policies, already disclosed this detail back in December when announcing its recommendations.

[Soundbite] Prof. Kwon Soon-won(Sookmyung Women’s Univ. (Dec. 2022)) : "If permitted extended work hours are included, up to 69 hours a week will be possible. Such exceptional cases would not happen often."

When asked by reporters if he had received reports on the matter in advance, Vice Labor Minister Kwon Gi-seob said he had nothing to say. The Democratic Party lambasted the president for passing the blame after selecting the workweek reform as his administration's key policy.

[Soundbite] Oh Yeong-hwan(Floor spokesperson, DP) : "Is it a goblin that makes policy decisions in the Yoon administration? Now that the public is outraged, the president is passing the blame."

The ruling bloc is stressing communication in the face of public criticism.

[Soundbite] Kim Gi-hyeon(Chair, People Power Party) : "It’s too bad the issue of 69-hour workweek has resulted in such pointless controversy. We need to improve the way we handle state affairs."

Now that the top office has admitted that a workweek of over 60 hours would be unreasonable, the cap on working hours will likely be overhauled again.