Representatives of the IT Committee of the Korean Federation of Chemical, Textile, and Food Workers’ Unions (KFCFTU), which consists of IT and gaming industry labor unions, held a press conference on Wednesday in Sangyeonjae, central Seoul, to announce their joint demands for the 2025 wage and collective bargaining negotiations. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — Labor unions representing South Korea’s IT and gaming industry have firmly opposed recent discussions in the political sphere regarding exemptions to the 52-hour workweek law, arguing that such a move would exploit workers rather than drive industry growth.
At a press conference in central Seoul on Wednesday, the IT Committee of the Korean Federation of Chemical, Textile, and Food Workers’ Unions (KFCFTU) denounced any relaxation of labor time regulations.
“Easing work-hour restrictions won’t foster the development of the IT and gaming industries; it will only exhaust workers as disposable resources,” said Oh Se-yoon, head of the IT Committee and chair of the Naver labor union.
Oh emphasized that rather than relying on excessive labor, companies should focus on creating an environment where healthy and engaged workers can be more productive.
For the first time, the IT Committee also announced a set of joint demands related to ongoing wage and collective bargaining negotiations across multiple companies.
The demands include the establishment of a workplace harassment prevention committee, greater transparency and fairness in employee evaluations, improved procedures for reassignment due to management decisions, and protections for workers’ rights during corporate mergers and acquisitions.
“Currently, employers hold sole authority over workplace harassment investigations, which is why we insist on equal representation in such committees,” Oh stated. “In the IT sector, restructuring often occurs through project realignment or spin-offs, and workers must be ensured stability so they can excel in their roles.”
The IT Committee plans to advocate for these demands across multiple labor negotiations throughout the year, uniting unions across different companies to push for industry-wide improvements.
This undated file photo shows the headquarters of Nexon Co. in the city of Seongnam in Gyeonggi Province. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Addressing concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) potentially replacing jobs, the union took a positive stance, stating, “AI should not be seen as a replacement for human workers but as a tool that enhances efficiency. In fact, the development of high-quality AI services can create additional employment opportunities.”
Since its inception at Naver in 2018, the KFCFTU’s IT Committee has grown to represent unions from major tech and gaming firms, including Nexon, Netmarble, Woowa Brothers (Baedal Minjok), Smilegate, and NCSoft. According to the union, membership has now reached approximately 20,000 workers.
As the debate over work-hour regulations and AI’s impact on employment continues, South Korea’s IT and gaming unions are positioning themselves as a united force advocating for fair labor policies and sustainable industry growth.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
