The National Labor Relations Commission will begin a trial of video conference hearings for labor dispute cases under review. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 28 (Korea Bizwire) – The National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) of South Korea announced on May 27 that it will begin a trial of video conference hearings for labor dispute cases under review, starting from June.
After establishing a video conferencing system in December last year and completing preparations such as drafting manuals, the NLRC stated it will first implement video hearings for cases appealing decisions made by the Gyeonggi Provincial Labor Relations Commission.
If parties consent, they can participate via video link from the Gyeonggi Provincial Labor Office, without having to attend in person at the NLRC’s headquarters in the Government Complex Sejong.
The pilot program will subsequently expand in July to include appeal cases from the Seoul and Busan labor commissions, with plans for a nationwide rollout.
This initiative aims not only to alleviate the inconvenience of long-distance travel for participants but also to enable victims of workplace harassment or sexual misconduct to provide testimony separate from the alleged perpetrators.
While protective measures are taken during in-person hearings, complete physical separation between parties has limitations. Video conferencing will allow for entirely separate testimony rooms, enabling victims to recount their experiences in a more stable psychological state.
Such protective measures for workers are planned for gradual nationwide implementation, encompassing not just NLRC appeal cases but also initial hearings at all provincial labor commissions.
NLRC Chairperson Kim Tae-gi stated, “Evidence from countries like the United States shows that in cases involving strong psychological elements, such as sexual harassment or bullying, video conference hearings allow for more composed dialogue.” He added, “We expect to see similar positive effects.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
