The government has proposed a separate one-point social dialogue with the two major labor unions and the business community on labor provisions in the Mega Special Zone Special Act for the Honam semiconductor cluster. Key issues include a white-collar exemption for high-income research and development personnel, exceptions to the 52-hour workweek, and extending fixed-term employment from two years to a maximum of four under a 2+2 arrangement. The proposal was announced on the 15th by Employment and Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon, who said the government’s position on the exemptions had not been finalized. The business community supports regulatory flexibility to improve semiconductor and artificial-intelligence competitiveness, while unions warn of longer hours and more non-regular employment. The Federation of Korean Trade Unions said it would participate responsibly, while the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions is due to decide by the 17th. If KCTU joins, the forum would be the first government-led social dialogue involving both major unions and the business community since 2020. The government and ruling party aim to pass the act within the year and reflect the dialogue’s outcome in the legislation.