Labor Participates in Process of Designation of Special Economic Areas

The 10-member committee for economic free zone, which has the authority to designate special economic areas, will include figures from the labor world to convey its position.

On November 14 the National Assembly passed the bill to the Economic Free Area Law including the above point in a plenary session.

On the morning of the same day, before the plenary session starts, the Grand National Party, the Millennium Democratic Party, the United Liberal Democrats and the Ministry of Finance and Economy held a policy meeting, in which they decided on a final bill to the Economic Free Area Law, which is similar to the original bill sponsored by the government. According to the bill, only areas with an international airport and a port can be designated as special economic zones.

And considering protests from the labor world, they limited temporary labor outsourcing at foreign investment companies to professional areas. Originally, the government bill would allow labor outsourcing of those companies in all areas.

However, the labor world, including the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, is opposed to the law on special economic zone, saying that it was highly likely to violate right to labor.

Young-Hae Choi yhchoi65@donga.com