“At the Major Companies CHO Meeting, Minister Kim Young-hoon of the Ministry of Employment and Labor Delivered a Greeting
Kim Young-hoon, the Minister of Employment and Labor, delivered a greeting at a meeting of Chief Human Resources Officers (CHO) from major companies, held at the Press Center in Seoul on September 3, 2025. [Provided by Yonhap News]
Minister Kim Young-hoon emphasized the urgent need for cooperation from the business sector in realizing the ‘Yellow Envelope Act,’ calling for tripartite cooperation among labor, management, and government during his meeting with executives in charge of HR and labor affairs from large enterprises on the 3rd.
Minister Kim said this at the ‘Meeting with Executives in Charge of HR and Labor Affairs from Major Companies,’ hosted by the Korea Employers Federation, held at the Korea Press Center, Jung-gu, Seoul.
The meeting was attended by Son Kyung-shik, Chairman of the Korea Employers Federation, and CHOs from 23 companies, including Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor, LG, and CJ.
The ‘Yellow Envelope Act’ (Revision of the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act) was decided in a Cabinet meeting yesterday and is scheduled to take effect on March 10 next year.
During the meeting, Minister Kim stated, “I am well aware of the various burdens and concerns of the business sector, especially HR and labor managers, as the legislative process has been ongoing. With the implementation of the law becoming visible, the government will not ignore the concerns of the business sector during the six-month preparation period and will prepare measures that fully realize the purpose of the law.”
The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced plans to form a Task Force (TF) to support the implementation of the Yellow Envelope Act in the field and prepare specific guidelines and manuals.
Additionally, it plans to derive a standard model for negotiations and use simulations to examine what changes might occur in the actual workplace.
Minister Kim remarked, “It will be difficult for the purpose of the law to be fully realized in the workplace by the government alone devising measures. This is a starting point to create a new paradigm for prime-subcontractor partnerships, and only through cooperation between labor, management, and government can this law become a mechanism for narrowing labor market disparities.”
He also urged, “I ask the business sector to participate in creating a prime-subcontractor cooperation model that can become a stepping stone for enhancing industrial productivity and competitiveness.”
Furthermore, he stressed, “As the business sector is concerned, the revised law is by no means an acceptance of indiscriminate negotiations or illegal strikes. We will ask for responsible participation from the labor sector so that a culture of cooperation can form the foundation for business growth.”
He added, “The government will spare no effort to support companies and workers in achieving ‘real growth.'”
The Yellow Envelope Act expands the definition of ’employer’ to enhance the responsibility of prime contractors towards subcontracted workers and includes provisions to limit the scope of claims for damages against unions or workers.
The business sector is concerned that the ambiguous content of the bill could cause confusion in industrial sites and negatively impact the national economy.”