Youth backlash forces South Korean govt to roll back 69-hour work plan

The South Korean government rolled back an upcoming plan that entailed a rise in working hours from the current 52 hours per week to 69 hours per week. The government was forced to rethink its policy after it faced a strong backlash from the younger generation in the country who argued that this move would completely destroy their work-life balance, ultimately putting their health at risk.

The country's millennials and Gen Z, both on and off social media, raised the concern, demanding from the government to rethink the measure. The working class asked President Yoon Suk-yeol to rethink the measure and "communicate better with the public, especially with generation Z and millennials", her press secretary, Kim Eun-hye, said.

"The core of [Yoon’s] labor market policy is to protect the rights and interests of underprivileged workers, such as the MZ generation, workers not in a union, and those working in small and medium-sized businesses," Kim said, reported the Korea Herald.

Why did the South Korean government raise the work hours? What is people's opinion on this?

The country's President, Yoon Suk-yeol, is seen as pro-business, and critics have argued that he introduced this move to provide greater flexibility to employers. However, union leaders have said that this move would force people to work longer hours in a country already known for its harsh workplace culture. On Wednesday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s senior secretary said that the administration would take a new "direction" after listening to public opinion and would take care of the rights and interests of millennials, generation Z, and non-union workers.

It is pertinent to mention that the government views the increase in working hours as a way to address the looming shortage of labor force in the country, which is facing a dwindling fertility rate.

Notably, this plan has been criticized by citizens, the opposition, and members of the working class, who say this measure would only make matters worse. Also, this decision falls out with other big countries, including the UK, where several companies last year trialed a four-day week that campaigners said showed a productive result.

Meanwhile, the working class and people from other sectors including students have expressed displeasure about the move. Jung Junsik, who is a university student from the nation's capital Seoul said, “the proposal does not make any sense… and is so far from what workers actually want." He added saying that even though the government has rolled back the plan, workers would still be pressured to work beyond the legal maximum, reported CNN.

Image: AP