South Korea's semiconductor mega‑zone law to extend temporary contracts and exempt 52‑hour rule

The Lee Jae‑myung administration is drafting a "mega‑zone special law" that would relax labour regulations in the country’s new semiconductor clusters. Key provisions include extending the maximum term for temporary workers from two to four years, widening the list of occupations that may use dispatched workers, and allowing research‑development staff to work beyond the standard 52‑hour weekly limit.

Labor unions and opposition parties have condemned the proposals as a threat to workers’ rights, warning that the mega‑zone could become a testing ground for eroding labour protections. Separately, lawmaker Ko Dong‑jin has submitted a bill seeking a nationwide exemption for semiconductor R&D personnel, arguing that uniform rules are needed to preserve competition and citing flexible work‑hour models used in the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom.