Yoon calls for close coordination between gov't, ruling party

By Lee Haye-ah

SEOUL, March 27 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol called Monday for close policy coordination between the government and the ruling People Power Party, his spokesperson said, following a public backlash over a proposed revision to the legal workweek.

"There should be close consultations between the party and the government on all policies, including those that do not involve legislative or budget bills," Yoon told the Cabinet, according to Lee Do-woon.

Yoon also said the public's opinions should be "thoroughly reflected" in the process.

The instructions come as opposition parties, labor unions and especially young generations known as "Generation MZ" have criticized the government's proposal to raise the cap on weekly working hours.

Currently, the legal cap is 52 hours, but the labor ministry's initial proposal allowed the cap to be raised to 69 hours during periods of heavy workloads on condition that the total work hours in a month did not exceed the limit in the current 52-hour workweek system.

A new "hot line" will be established between the presidential office and the ruling party to facilitate policy coordination, a senior presidential official told Yonhap News Agency.

The hot line will be established between Lee Kwan-sup, senior presidential secretary for policy planning, and Rep. Park Dae-chul, new chief policymaker of the PPP.

hague@yna.co.kr
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