South Korea labor and social policy debates intensify

South Korea is facing several legislative and social debates regarding labor rights and social welfare. An amendment to the Occupational Safety and Health Act is awaiting a final vote in the National Assembly. If passed, the law would allow for fines of up to 5% of operating profits for companies where three or more workers die from industrial accidents within a year.

In the realm of social policy, discussions regarding the ‘Civil Partnership Act’ have remained stagnant for 20 years. Critics argue the bill is often treated as a secondary issue to the debate over same-sex marriage or as a mere tool for addressing low birth rates, rather than a way to provide legal recognition for non-kinship caregiving relationships.

Additionally, a survey by Workplace Gapjil 119 revealed that 80.4% of workers believe discrimination against fixed-term employees exists. Many reported being unable to exercise legal rights, such as parental leave, due to job insecurity and fear of non-renewal of contracts.

Separately, a study published in ‘Neurology Open Access’ suggests that managing vascular health in one's 50s—specifically avoiding smoking and managing diabetes and hypertension—can extend the period of living without dementia by up to 13 years.