Opposition parties and the two main umbrella unions keep pushing political parties to make an union-biased intervention into industrial relations issues arising in individual companies. Since March five opposition parties have tried to politicize five major labor issues in individual companies – Hyundai Motor (in-house subcontracting), Ssangyong Motor (unpaid leave and layoffs), Hanjin Heavy Industries (restructuring) and Samsung Electronics (workers with leukemia, etc.) – at the Environment and Labor Committee. On April 12, they even attempted to make the Environment and Labor Committee adopt an agenda concerning such issues. However, KEF blocked the attempt in cooperation with the relevant companies (KEF issued a related statement on Mar. 10, held a meeting with the relevant companies on Mar 18, and conducted activities to prevent the National Assembly from taking up such issues, including lobbying the Environment and Labor Committee to reject the agenda.)
In particular, the Democratic Party set up a special emergency measure committee (emergency measures committee) on April 6 to step up its efforts to turn the five major labor issues into political ones at the National Assembly. The emergency measure committee will make continuous efforts to connect those issues with the re-amendment of the Trade Union Act and to promote participation from members of the Strategy and Finance Committee and the Standing Committee as well as the Environment and Labor Committee. The Party is also expected to place pressure on individual workplaces by making a public statement at the Standing Committee, meeting with the employers and trade unions of the workplaces in question and holding press conferences around the country. The emergency measure committee’s these activities are likely to increase political intervention in industrial relations issues that have to be dealt with by individual companies. So, KEF, along with the relevant companies, will strengthen counter-lobbying activities directed at the National Assembly.
MOEL is seeking the passage of amendments to the Labor Relations Commission Act and the Employment Security Act by the National Assembly during its extraordinary session in June, but it dose not seem easy to pass them through the plenary meeting because of opposition from labor circles. Given that no single bill under its responsibility was reviewed during both the February and April sessions, MOEL plans to prepare for legislative review in the June session with a focus on the bills submitted by the government.
【 Table 1 】 Bills whose passage will be especially called for by government in June session
| Bill | Main features | Contentious issues |
| Employment Insurance Act | Introducing benefits for workers who work shorter hours during child-rearing periods | The opposition demands to bundle this bill with a work-family balance bill proposed by opposition party members, which would expand child-care leave, etc., before bringing it before the National Assembly |
| Employee Retirement Benefits Guarantee Act | Bringing more flexibility to the Retirement Benefit System | This bill needs to be coordinated with legislators’ bill with regard to restrictions on retirement benefit services by financial institutions. |
| Labor Relations Commission Act | Reinforcing the functions of Labor Relations Commissions to cope with union pluralism | This amendment is linked to the re-amendment of the Trade Union Act. |
| Employment Security Act | Introducing comprehensive employment service programs | Trade unions oppose this bill on the grounds that it will increase non-regular employment. |
| Labor Standards Act | Introducing the working time credit system | Trade unions oppose this bill on the grounds that it will increase non-regular employment |
However, the bills are unlikely to be passed in the June session as well due to labor circles and opposition parties’ attempt to deal with individual workplaces’ issues (industrial accidents and restructuring), which is expected to add to burdens on individual companies. Besides, the ratification of the Korea-U.S. FTA, the re-amendment of the Trade Union Act demanded mainly by labor circles and opposition parties, and so on are expected to become controversial issues in the June session.