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DP candidate Lee Jae-myung announces policy aiming for a 4.5-day workweek

Published: 30 Apr. 2025, 18:59

Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung speaks during a meeting with chip industry experts at SK hynix's Icheon campus on April 28. [NEWS1]

Ahead of Labor Day on May 1, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, announced a set of labor policies aimed at giving workers more rest. His proposals focus on reducing working hours, with benefits for companies that implement a four-and-a-half-day workweek and a long-term goal of moving toward a four-day workweek.

Lee posted a “policy statement for office workers” on Facebook on Wednesday, stating that he'll "create clear support measures for companies that adopt a 4.5-day workweek."

“In the long term, we must move toward a four-day workweek," he added.

The post also highlighted an aim to reduce Korea’s average working hours to below the average of Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development member states by 2030.

To prevent death from overwork, Lee said he would set a legal cap on daily working hours and introduce a mandatory minimum for rest periods between shifts.

“We will legislate to make the state responsible for establishing effective measures to prevent overwork-related deaths,” he said.

He also pledged a fundamental review of the “comprehensive wage system,” under which many employees receive fixed salaries regardless of hours worked.

“We will ensure that existing wages and working conditions do not worsen during this process,” he said, adding that employers would be required to measure and record workers’ actual working hours.

Lee also presented plans to help office workers recharge.

“We will significantly expand the worker vacation subsidy program through a three-part support package — the Worker Vacation Subsidy Program, the Regional Travel Support Program, and the ‘Short-cut Travel’ initiative,” he said.

He proposed creating a new “Regional Travel Support Program” to promote domestic tourism.

The existing subsidy program, the government, employers and employees each contribute 100,000, 100,000, and 200,000 won, respectively. Lee said he would increase the government’s contribution and expand eligibility to allow more workers to benefit.

BY BAE JAE-SUNG [[email protected]]