Latest news with #YellowEnvelope
Korea Herald
6 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Assembly ends filibuster, passes DP-led broadcasting bill
The National Assembly on Tuesday passed one of the three contentious broadcasting bills proposed by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, after voting to end a 24-hour filibuster by the opposition People Power Party. The amendment to the Broadcasting Act, which seeks to expand the board of directors at KBS, passed the Assembly with 178 votes in favor and 2 against. A total of 180 members participated in the vote, which People Power Party lawmakers boycotted. This followed the National Assembly's vote to end the filibuster Tuesday morning, with 187 votes in favor. Ending a filibuster requires votes from at least three-fifths — or 179 — of the current 198 parliament members, according to the National Assembly Act. The conservative party lawmakers walked out of the parliamentary chamber in protest of this vote as well. The Democratic Party currently holds a parliamentary majority with 167 out of 298 seats. The revision to the Broadcasting Act is one of three proposed bills aimed at limiting the government's and politicians' power to name directors to the boards of public broadcasters, KBS, MBC and EBS. The other two bills in the set are revisions to the Foundation for Broadcast Culture Act and the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act. These propose similar changes to the governance structures at MBC and EBS, while the Broadcasting Act affects KBS. The conservative People Power Party has repeatedly denounced the bills as a means to appoint more liberal-minded officials as board members of the broadcasters. People Power Party floor leader and interim leader Rep. Song Eon-seog, in an intra-party meeting held ahead of the plenary session, threatened to file an adjudication with the Constitutional Court on the constitutionality of the law. Several other contentious bills were tabled by the Democratic Party during Monday's plenary session, including the revision to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act. These are expected to be put to a vote at the next earliest plenary session scheduled for Aug. 21. The revision focuses on restricting companies from claiming damages against legitimate disputes involving labor unions. The bill's nickname, the 'Yellow Envelope' bill, stems from the donations that the public sent to support SsangYong Motor workers in 2014, after they were laid off and faced court orders to compensate their employer for the damages made to company properties during a strike. South Korean business lobby groups, the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, and the European Chamber of Commerce have all voiced concerns that the passage of the bill could prompt foreign companies to withdraw from the Korean market. The three broadcasting bills and 'Yellow Envelope' bill were previously vetoed by former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Yoon worked with the Assembly with the Democratic Party as the parliamentary majority throughout his term, before he was impeached after his failed attempt to impose martial law on Dec. 3, 2024.
Korea Herald
7 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
PPP launches filibuster to delay DP-led legislation
Parliamentary vote for 'Yellow Envelope' bill likely to be delayed to mid-August The main opposition People Power Party launched a filibuster Monday to delay the vote on a contentious bill proposed by the Democratic Party of Korea, denouncing what it called a "unilateral" legislative push by the ruling liberal bloc. The filibuster is the first by the conservative party in over a year. It targeted a revision of the Broadcasting Act, concerning the governance structure of public broadcaster KBS. Dozens of Democratic Party lawmakers walked out of the session as Rep. Shin Dong-uk, a first-term lawmaker of the People Power Party, kicked off the debate just after 4 p.m. Similar revisions of the Foundation for Broadcast Culture Act and the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act were also due to be voted on at Monday's plenary session for the National Assembly. The three revision bills are designed to limit the government and politicians' power to name directors to the boards of KBS, MBC and EBS TV. When a filibuster is initiated, a continuous debate session begins that cannot be halted by a vote until 24 hours have passed. After that, it can be broken with the support of three-fifths of all 298 lawmakers of the National Assembly — or 179 votes. Five left-leaning parties in South Korea, including the Democratic Party, hold a combined 185 seats at the National Assembly. This means the parties have enough power to not only pass legislation with a majority of seats, but also end the filibuster after 24 hours have passed. But a 24-hour delay would push the legislation beyond the end of the current session effectively delaying it for several weeks. Another contentious bill tabled at Monday's plenary session was the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act, aimed at broadening the scope of an "employer" when it comes to dealing with labor unions. It seeks to ban companies from claiming damages against labor unions, even if their strikes incurred damages for the company. All four bills were previously vetoed by former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who worked with the National Assembly dominated by the Democratic Party throughout his short-lived term. He was removed from office in April after a failed martial law attempt in December. The People Power Party was also poised for a filibuster against a revision of the Commercial Act aimed at banning listed companies with over 2 trillion won ($1.44 billion) in assets from rejecting the cumulative voting system, which would boost minority shareholders' rights to elect a corporate boardroom director. The bill, also led by the Democratic Party, was vetoed by ex-acting President Han Duck-soo while Yoon was impeached. Before Monday's filibuster, the order of which bill would be brought to the parliamentary vote was the focal point. The filibuster is to last until Tuesday afternoon, although the monthlong 427th session of the National Assembly was to end Monday night. With the following 428th session of the Assembly kicking off on Wednesday, votes for the remaining contentious bills, including the Trade Union Act revision — also known as the "Yellow Envelope" bill — are likely to start in its earliest plenary session, which is currently scheduled on Aug. 21. Regarding the sequence of the bills to be voted, Rep. Jung Chung-rae, chair of the Democratic Party, said just before the plenary session on Monday that his party chose a bill over broadcast governance "after some twists and turns," given the gravity of the problem in the current media governance structure that was prone to political influence.
Korea Herald
17-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Understanding 'Yellow Envelope' bill: Labor reform or threat to business?
Ruling party's push for broader labor protections draws backlash from businesses over legal uncertainty, employer liability A contentious labor bill championed by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea is barreling toward passage. The business community, however, warns that the revision could throw the country's industrial relations into disarray. Commonly known as the 'Yellow Envelope" bill, the proposed amendment to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act would broaden labor protections across all employment types while restricting companies' ability to sue for financial damages resulting from industrial action. The bill, which has evolved dramatically from earlier drafts, takes its name from a 2014 campaign where citizens sent cash donations in yellow envelopes to support a group of SsangYong Motor workers facing massive damage lawsuits over their occupation of the company's main factory. Five different versions of this pro-labor union bill have been submitted to parliament. The Environment and Labor Committee is expected to review all proposals, identify key provisions and negotiate to create a single, united draft for the plenary session to vote on. While it's difficult to predict the final wording of the bill, the gist of the amendment will likely remain intact: expanding protections for workers engaged in union activities and restricting companies' ability to file damage claims against them. What's in the bill? Under the proposed bill, the definition of 'employer' would no longer be limited to those who have direct employment contracts with workers, but would include anyone who 'substantially and specifically controls' working conditions. A stricter version of the draft even stipulates that if a company outsources work to another firm, it will still be recognized as an employer if the outsourced work is performed on its premises. This change means unions representing subcontracted workers could effectively demand negotiations directly with large companies. Another controversial provision is the broadened definition of "worker" to include anyone who joins or organizes a labor union. This extended scope would cover platform workers, self-employed individuals and freelancers, the groups that were previously excluded under the existing law. This would allow freelance associations and gig workers to operate as unions and legally go on strike. The bill also extends the situations when strikes are legally allowed. Under current law, strikes are only permitted during negotiations over changes to employment terms such as wages and benefits. But the proposed revision would permit stirkes over employment terms that have already been decided. One variation of the proposal goes even further. It explicitly permits workers to launch labor disputes over employment conditions affected by corporate restructuring, such as mergers and acquisitions or organizational changes. Under this framework, companies conducting layoffs during restructuring would face potential labor protests. The proposal also imposes tighter limits on when employers can sue for damages during labor disputes. Under the revision, companies would be barred from seeking compensation for losses caused by legitimate strikes. If a labor union protests in response to an employer's unlawful conduct, the union and its members would not be held liable for resulting damages. Additionally, if a court rules on damages, the bill requires that responsibility be assigned individually based on each person's level of fault, rather than imposing blanket liability on all union members. While labor advocates hail the bill as a crucial step forward in protecting vulnerable workers, companies are concerned that it could handcuff their ability to manage labor disputes, disrupt workplace order and expose them to legal challenges. South Korea's six major business organizations — Korea Enterprises Federation, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Federation of Korean Industries, Korea International Trade Association, Korea Federation of SMEs and the Federation of Middle Market Enterprises of Korea — on Monday urged lawmakers to slow the bill's passage, raising concerns that it could destabilize workplace order. 'This is not simply revising the law, but a fundamental change that could bring tremendous disruptions to our labor-management relations,' said Sohn Kyung-shik, chair of KEF and also of CJ Group, during a meeting with lawmakers. He stressed the need for broader consensus through dialogue with all stakeholders. 'The bill expands the definition of 'employer' to include anyone with substantial and specific control over working conditions, which is vague and abstract,' he said. 'If tens or hundreds of subcontractor unions demand negotiations, it would be impossible for the parent companies to respond to each one individually." Industry officials are particularly concerned about the bill's impact on subcontracting-heavy industries such as automaking, shipbuilding and construction. 'If the bill makes companies liable for strikes by hundreds or thousands of subcontractors, when can companies operate, produce and make profit?" asked one industry official speaking on condition of anonymity. 'If this continues, companies may have no choice but to be more cautious about expanding domestic investment or employment.' With President Lee Jae Myung backing the law, armed with his ruling Democratic Party controlling the National Assembly, it's just a matter of time before it is enacted, observers say. 'The Supreme Court has already acknowledged (the necessity) of this law. The International Labor Organization also recognizes it,' Lee was quoted as saying during a televised presidential debate in May. 'The Yellow Envelope bill is something that must be done.' The legislation has a long history. First proposed in 2015, progressive lawmakers have attempted to revise the labor union law for many years, but have failed to pass it due to opposition from conservative parties and business groups. In 2023 and 2024, the bill passed the Democratic Party-controlled Assembly but was vetoed twice by then-President Yoon Suk Yeol. Now, the Democratic Party is determined to pass key bills that were previously derailed by Yoon's veto. A revision to the Commercial Act, which was also vetoed during Yoon's term, was approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday and is now awaiting the final step of presidential promulgation. Jin Sung-joon, chair of the Democratic Party's policy committee, said last week that President Lee personally urged lawmakers to expedite the passage of key bills, including the Yellow Envelope bill. The push received another support from Kim Young-hoon, President Lee's nominee for labor minister, who formerly led the country's largest umbrella union group, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions. In documents submitted to the parliamentary Environment and Labor Committee last week, Kim highlighted the revision as the "most urgent." Rejecting the claim that the bill is "bad legislation," Kim stressed that the revision is not to encourage "indiscriminate bargaining, but to clarify who bears real responsibilities of employers and to institutionally supplement a legitimate bargaining structure so that negotiations are no longer considered illegal." Regarding the provisions on the damages for losses, Kim said the goal is to hold parties accountable for illegal acts while ensuring that damage claims are proportionate to their authority and responsibility, so that union activities are not discouraged by excessive damage claims. The KCTU is planning mass rallies on Wednesday and Friday to demand the bill's full and immediate passage.
