<Anchor>

Now, 20 days later, the new year's 52-hour week will be introduced to Korean SMEs. The government made an exception because there were many opinions that it was less ready and realistically difficult, but there were so many exceptions that the labor industry strongly opposed it.

I am a reporter.

<Reporter>

The government has decided to implement a 52-hour weekly extension for companies with 50 or more and 299 or less, but set a plan period.

The start of the system is actually suspended for one year.

It also expands the requirement for special extended work that allows you to work beyond 52 hours per week.

Right now, the situation is limited to disaster relief, but when orders are pushed to trigger a deadline, special extended work is allowed even in the event of machine breakdowns or mass recalls.

[Lee, Jae-Gap / Minister of Employment and Labor: When special extended work is carried out, this applies to all companies, including large corporations. If this is true ... .]

The government believes that 42% of SMEs are not ready and the economic conditions are difficult.

It's also a practical acknowledgment that you can't force 52 hours a week.

The labor industry is against this supplement.

It gave me a year or more and there were so many exceptions that I would be famed for 52 hours a week.

[Kim Ju-young / Chairman of the Korean Federation of Trade Unions: Declaration of abandonment of apparent reduction of working hours Among the national affairs the government has revealed, 'fair society without discrimination for respect for labor' is becoming a bubble.]

SMEs also have a low union organization rate, which raises concerns that the company may be able to provide special overtime work.

The labor community has decided to respond legally to correcting the conditions of special overtime work, so conflicts seem inevitable for the time being.

(Video coverage: Kim Won-bae, Oh Young-chun, Video editing: Won Hee)