2025 Labor Law Changes and Key Precedents

1.        Minimum wage increased to 10,120 KRW per hour
2.        Unemployment benefits daily allowance increased by 1,088 KRW
3.        Parental leave extended to a maximum of 1.5 years, can be split into 4 periods, available until the child is 12 years old
4.        Increased parental leave benefits; post-payment system abolished
5.        Single-parent parental leave benefits capped at 3 million KRW per month
6.        Paternity leave expanded to 20 days per year
7.        Expanded eligibility and benefits for reduced working hours during childcare periods
8.        Support grants for workload redistribution during reduced childcare working hours
9.        Expanded infertility treatment leave and pre- and postnatal leave for premature births
10.        Implementation of habitual wage arrears prevention law
11.        End of the 52-hour workweek grace period for workplaces with fewer than 30 employees
12.        Additional health measures for occupational accident workers on extreme heat and cold days
13.        Mandatory installation of safety and emergency stop devices in production sites
14.        [Precedent] Exclusion of fixed nature in ordinary wage requirements
15.        [Precedent] Acquittal and maximum sentence rulings under the Serious Accident Punishment Act
16.        [Precedent] Calculation of the number of regular workers in international labor relations
17.        [Precedent] Standby time for home night duty is not considered working hours
18.        [Precedent] Obligation to compensate damages when resignation is processed instead of disciplinary action
19.        [Precedent] Obligation to pay performance bonuses to employees on leave
20.        [Precedent] Obligation to directly hire subcontracted workers