South Korea labor commission faces rising case delays amid political audit disputes

South Korea's National Labor Relations Commission is facing significant delays in processing cases related to unfair dismissal and unfair labor practices. Data released by Representative Lee Jong-bae shows that as of September this year, 5,096 cases—approximately 28.2% of the 18,096 total cases—took longer than 90 days to process. This is a sharp increase from 11.8% in 2022.

The surge in cases, which rose 34.3% compared to the same period last year, has extended the average processing time from 150 days to 217 days. While the Commission plans to increase staff by 51 members, critics argue that a more thorough analysis of the delay stages is necessary to prevent workers from facing prolonged livelihood instability.

Separately, during a National Assembly audit of the Climate, Energy, Environment, and Labor Committee, sessions were interrupted due to political disputes. The ruling People Power Party accused certain public institution heads of having ties to Lee Jae-myung and demanded personnel documents, while the Democratic Party labeled the demands as political attacks. Additionally, concerns were raised regarding water level management at Unmun Dam, which has faced six consecutive years of drought, affecting drinking water supplies in the Daegu region.