Concerns amid rising numbers of young workers entering irregular work
Nearly four in 10 salaried workers in South Korea believe irregular employment is the biggest labour concern for the newly elected Lee Jae-myung administration, according to reports.
Findings from Workplace Gapjil 119 show that 39% of salaried workers consider the widespread use of non-regular workers as the top labour priority for the new government, The Korea Bizwire reported.
Irregular employees include those who are under temporary employment with fixed end dates, part-time work, agency staffing, as well as independent contracting, as per a previous Korea Herald report.
Government data indicate that 1.46 million workers aged 15 to 29 are under irregular employment as of August 2024, accounting for 43.1% of all paid workers in that demographic, according to the report.
Their numbers have been increasing over the past decade, surging by 37% from the previous 1.07 million in 2014.
It comes as regular employment has declined, with the number of regular workers aged 15 to 29 dropping to 1.93 million in August 2024, down from 2.28 million a decade ago, according to The Korea Herald.
The increase in young employees under irregular employment comes as short, fragmented shifts dominate the job market and full-time jobs become increasingly rare, The Korea Times reported.
Other labour concerns
Youth unemployment is another problem that Workplace Gapjil 119's respondents want the Lee administration to address (34.8%). Other matters that they want the government to look at include:
- Low wages (33.8%)
- Long working hours (25.2%)
- Industrial safety and serious workplace accidents (21.0%)
- Protection for platform workers (12.7%)
- Workplace harassment and discrimination (9.7%)
- Guaranteeing the right to unionise (2.3%)
Addressing labour concerns
Kwon Doo-seop, a labour attorney with Workplace Gapjil 119, said addressing employees' concerns over irregular employment would require the implementation of key labour pledges such as:
- Presumption of employee status
- Amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union Act
- Extension of labour law protections to businesses with fewer than five employees
- Expansion of sector-level collective bargaining and contract coverage
- Mandatory employment succession for subcontracted workers
- A ban on lump-sum wage contracts
According to Kwon, the demand to address the irregular employment system comes amid disadvantages faced by workers under the arrangement, such as discrimination and exclusion from core labour rights.
In the wake of these concerns, the majority of South Koreans (65.3%) are confident that the Lee government will improve labour conditions, The Korea Bizwire reported.
Lee assumed office on 4 June as South Korea's 14th president following the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol due to his short-lived declaration of martial law.
