Article 1(Purpose) #
The purpose of this Decree is to prescribe matters mandated by the Economic, Social and Labor Council Act and matters necessary for the enforcement thereof.
Article 2(Recommendation of members) #
(1) Pursuant to Article 4(3)2 of the Economic, Social and Labor Council Act (hereinafter referred to as the "Act"), if a national confederation of labor organizations recommends its members, each labor organization shall recommend 1 person to represent youth, women, and non-regular workers to the Chairperson (hereinafter referred to as the "Chairperson") of the Economic, Social and Labor Council (hereinafter referred to as the "Council").
(2) If a national employers' organization recommends members pursuant to Article 4(4)2 of the Act, each employers' organization shall recommend 1 person to represent small and medium enterprises, middle-standing enterprises, and micro enterprises to the Chairperson.
(3) A person commissioned as a member of the Council upon recommendation under paragraph (1) or (2) shall respect the matters resolved by the committees related to each class in society under Article 12.
Article 3(Proposal and presentation of bills) #
(1) A member of the Council may propose a bill to be presented to the Council.
(2) The Chairperson shall present the proposed bill to the Council after review and coordination by the steering committee under Article 8(1) of the Act (hereinafter referred to as the "Steering Committee"); provided, where there is any unavoidable cause, the chairperson may present the proposed bill to the Council ex officio.
Article 4(Meetings of the Council) #
(1) If the Chairperson intends to convene a Council meeting pursuant to Article 7(2) of the Act, he or she shall notify each member of the agenda items, date, time, and venue of the meeting in writing no later than 3 days before the meeting is held; provided, this shall not apply if any unavoidable event occurs.
(2) The Chairperson may hold a meeting in private through a resolution of the Council, if deemed necessary.
Article 5(Composition of the Steering Committee) #
(1) The Chairperson shall commission the following persons as members of the Steering Committee under Article 8(3) of the Act: <Amended on Dec. 30, 2025>
1. Two persons recommended by a national confederation of labor organizations;
2. Two persons recommended by national employers' organizations;
3. The Vice Minister of Finance and Economy designated by the Minister of Finance and Economy and the Vice Minister of Employment and Labor.
(2) The Chairperson may additionally commission up to 3 more Steering Committee members from among the Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources, the Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, or the Vice Minister of SMEs and Startups, etc. if necessary to consult on matters referred to in the subparagraphs of Article 3(2) of the Act. <Amended on Oct. 1, 2025>
(3) The Chairperson may, upon receipt of a request from a labor organization or an employers' organization that has recommended a member of the Steering Committee under paragraph (1)1 or 2, dismiss the relevant Steering Committee member.
Article 6(Business affairs of the Steering Committee) #
The Steering Committee shall handle the following affairs and report the results thereof to the Council:
1. Inspection of the status of implementation of matters resolved by the Council;
2. Handling of matters prescribed in Article 8(1)1 and 2 of the Act;
3. Collection of public opinion under Article 15 of the Act;
4. Request for inspections or research under Article 16 of the Act.
Article 7(Steering Committee meetings) #
(1) A meeting of the Steering Committee shall be convened in any of the following cases:
1. Where the Chairperson requests a meeting;
2. Where at least 1/3 of the members present request a meeting;
3. In other cases deemed necessary by the chairperson of the steering committee.
(2) If the chairperson of the Steering Committee is unable to perform his or her duties due to any unavoidable reason, a member of the Steering Committee designated by the chairperson of the committee shall act on behalf of the chairperson, and if the chairperson is unable to designate a member due to an accident, etc., an elected member of the Steering Committee shall act on behalf of the chairperson.
(3) Article 4 shall apply mutatis mutandis to meetings of the Steering Committee. In such cases, "Chairperson" shall be construed as "chairperson of the Steering Committee," "Council" as "Steering Committee," and "members" as "members of the Steering Committee", respectively.
Article 8(Committees by Agenda and by Industry) #
(1) The Committees by Agenda and by Industry under Article 9(1) of the Act (hereinafter referred to as the "Committees by Agenda and by Industry") shall consist of not more than 20 members, including 1 chairperson for each committee.
(2) The chairpersons of the Committees by Agenda and by Industry (hereinafter referred to as "chairpersons of the Committees by Agenda and by Industry) shall be commissioned by the Chairperson from among those with abundant knowledge of and experience in employment and labor, economic and social issues, etc., and members shall be commissioned by the Chairperson from among any of the following persons; in such cases, the number of members commissioned pursuant to subparagraphs 1 and 2 shall be equal, but may be adjusted by a resolution of the Council, if necessary:
1. Persons recommended by a national confederation of labor organizations;
2. Persons recommended by a national employers' organization;
3. Public officials recommended by the heads of relevant administrative agencies;
4. Relevant experts representing public interest;
5. Other persons deemed necessary by the Chairperson in relation to the agenda item.
(3) If the Chairperson commissions a member falling under paragraph (2)4, he or she shall hear the opinions of a labor organization which is a national confederation of labor organizations and a national employers' organization.
(4) If deemed necessary, the Committees by Agenda and by Industry may establish a subcommittee within the committees.
Article 9(Meetings of Committees by Agenda and by Industry) #
(1) The chairpersons of the Committees by Agenda and by Industry shall convene and preside over meetings of the committees.
(2) A majority of the members of the Committees by Agenda and by Industry constitute a quorum, and any resolution thereof shall require the concurring votes of a majority of those present.
(3) The chairpersons of the Committees by Agenda and by Industry may, if necessary, request relevant experts and public officials to attend and make statements at a meeting.
(4) If the chairpersons of the Committees by Agenda and by Industry are unable to perform duties due to any unavoidable reason, members designated by the chairpersons of the committees shall act on their behalf, and if the chairpersons are unable to designate such members due to an accident, etc., members under Article 8(2)4 shall act on behalf of the chairpersons in the order of seniority.
(5) Articles 4 and 7(1) shall apply mutatis mutandis to meetings of the Committees by Agenda and by Industry. In such cases, "Chairperson", "Council", and "members" in Article 4 shall be construed as "chairpersons of the Committees by Agenda and by Industry", "Committees by Agenda and by Industry", and "members of the Committees by Agenda and by Industry", respectively; and "Steering Committee" and "chairperson of the Steering Committee" in Article 7(1) shall be construed as "Committees by Agenda and by Industry" and "chairpersons of the Committees by Agenda and by Industry", respectively.
Article 10(Composition and operation of the Committee for Agenda Development and Coordination) #
(1) The Committee for Agenda Development and Coordination under Article 10(1) of the Act (hereinafter referred to as the "Committee for Agenda Development and Coordination") shall consist of not more than 10 members, including 1 chairperson of the Committee for Agenda Development and Coordination (hereinafter referred to as the "chairperson of the Committee for Agenda Development and Coordination"), and members thereof shall be commissioned by the Chairperson from among the following persons:
1. Working-level managers of a national confederation of labor organizations;
2. Working-level managers of a national employers' organization;
3. Members in general service of the Senior Executive Service of the relevant central administrative agencies.
(2) The provisions of Articles 4, 7 (1) and (2), and 9 (1) through (3) shall apply mutatis mutandis to meetings of the Committee for Agenda Development and Coordination. In such cases, "Chairperson", "Council", and "members" in Article 4 shall be construed as "chairperson of the Committee for Agenda Development and Coordination", "Committee for Agenda Development and Coordination", and "members of the Committee for Agenda Development and Coordination", respectively; "Steering Committee", "chairperson of the Steering Committee", and "members of the Steering Committee" in Article 7 (1) and (2) shall be construed as "Committee for Agenda Development and Coordination", "chairperson of the Committee for Agenda Development and Coordination", and "members of the Committee for Agenda Development and Coordination", respectively; and "Committees by Agenda and by Industry" and "chairpersons of the Committees by Agenda and by Industry" in Article 9 (1) through (3) shall be construed as "Committee for Agenda Development and Coordination" and "chairperson of the Committee for Agenda Development and Coordination", respectively.
Article 11(Composition and operation of the Special Committee) #
(1) The Special Committee under Article 11(1) of the Act (hereinafter referred to as the "Special Committee") shall consist of not more than 20 members, including 1 chairperson, and if necessary, the number of members may be adjusted by a resolution of the Council.
(2) The chairperson of the Special Committee (hereinafter referred to as the "chairperson of the Special Committee") shall be commissioned by the Chairperson from among those with abundant knowledge of and experience in employment and labor, economic and social issues, etc., and members shall be commissioned by the Chairperson from among any of the following persons; in such cases, the number of members commissioned pursuant to subparagraphs 1 and 2 shall be the same, but may be adjusted by a resolution of the Council, if necessary:
1. Persons recommended by a national confederation of labor organizations;
2. Persons recommended by a national employers' organization;
3. Public officials recommended by the heads of relevant administrative agencies;
4. Relevant experts representing public interest;
5. Other persons deemed necessary by the Chairperson in relation to the agenda item.
(3) The period of existence of the Special Committee shall be up to 6 months, but may be extended only once by up to 3 months by a resolution of the Council, if necessary.
(4) Articles 4, 7(1), and 9(1) through (4) shall apply mutatis mutandis to meetings of the Special Committee. In such cases, "Chairperson", "Council", and "members" in Article 4 shall be construed as "chairperson of the Special Committee", "Special Committee", and "members of the Special Committee", respectively; "Steering Committee" and "chairperson of the Steering Committee" in Article 7(1) shall be construed as "Special Committee" and "chairperson of the Special Committee", respectively; and "Committees by Agenda and by Industry", "chairpersons of the Committees by Agenda and by Industry", and "Article 8(2)4" in Article 9(1) through (4) shall be construed as "Special Committee," "chairperson of the Special Committee", and "paragraph (2)4," respectively.
Article 12(Composition and operation of committees related to each class in society) #
(1) The relevant committees to be established in the Steering Committee pursuant to Article 11(2) of the Act shall be as follows:
1. Youth committee;
2. Women's committee;
3. Committee for non-regular workers;
4. Small and medium enterprise committee;
5. Middle-standing enterprise committee;
6. Micro enterprise committee.
(2) Each committee referred to in the subparagraphs of paragraph (1) (hereinafter referred to as "committees related to each class in society") shall consist of not more than 10 members, including 1 chairperson, and if necessary, the number of members may be adjusted by a resolution of the Council.
(3) The members of the committees related to each class in society shall be commissioned by the Chairperson after hearing the opinions of relevant organizations according to the following classifications, and the chairpersons of the committees related to each class in society (hereinafter referred to as "chairpersons of the committees related to each class in society") shall be elected from among the members of the relevant committees:
1. Members of the youth committee, the women's committee, and the committee for non-regular workers: A labor confederation of labor organizations and organizations of the relevant classes of employees;
2. Members of the small and medium enterprise committee, the middle-standing enterprise committee, and the micro enterprise committee: National employers' organizations and employers' organizations of the relevant classes.
(4) Meetings of the committees related to each class in society shall be convened in any of the following cases:
1. Where the Chairperson requests a meeting;
2. Where at least 1/3 of the members present request a meeting;
3. Where the chairpersons of the committees related to each class in society deems it necessary;
4. Where a member of a committee commissioned upon recommendation pursuant to Article 2(1) or (2) requests the convening of a meeting of a committee related to each class in society of the class he or she represents.
(5) If a chairperson related to each class in society is unable to perform his or her duties due to any unavoidable reason, a member of the committee related to each class in society designated by the chairperson related to each class of society shall act on his or her behalf, and if the chairperson related to each class in society is unable to appoint a member due to an accident, etc., the member of the committee related to each class in society shall act on behalf of the chairperson in the order of seniority among the members of the committee.
Article 13(Organization and operation of Secretariat) #
(1) The Secretary General under Article 12(2) of the Act shall conduct affairs under the direction of the Chairperson and direct and supervise the employees under his or her management.
(2) The Council may, if necessary for conducting its affairs, appoint experts in relevant fields as public officials in fixed-term positions in the Secretariat of the Council.
(3) Except as provided in paragraphs (1) and (2), matters necessary for the organization and operation of the Secretariat shall be prescribed by the detailed operating rules of the Council.
Article 14(Number and qualifications of professional members) #
(1) The number of professional members to be assigned to the Council pursuant to Article 13 of the Act shall not exceed 30.
(2) Professional members shall be appointed by the Chairperson from among persons with abundant knowledge of and experience in relevant fields, such as those with a doctorate degree in areas related to employment and labor, industry, economic, social issues, etc.
(3) Professional members shall perform the following affairs:
1. Review of the Council's agenda items;
2. Conducting professional survey and research on the Council's affairs;
3. Collection of data related to the Council's affairs;
4. Review of implementation plans for matters resolved by the Council;
5. Other matters requested by the Council.
Article 15(Allowances) #
Remuneration, allowances, travel expenses, and other necessary expenses may be paid to any of the following persons within the budget:
1. Chairperson, chairperson of the Steering Committee, chairpersons of the Committees by Agenda and by Industry, chairperson of the Committee for Agenda Development and Coordination, chairperson of the Special Committee, and chairpersons of the committees related to each class in society;
2. Members of the Council, the Steering Committee, the Committees by Agenda and by Industry, the Committee for Agenda Development and Coordination, the Special Committee, and the committees related to each class in society;
3. The Secretary General, employees of the Secretariat, professional members, relevant experts, etc.
Article 16(Support for regional social dialogues) #
Pursuant to Article 20(1) of the Act, the Council may provide the following support to promote social dialogue by region:
1. Review of agenda items for regional social dialogue;
2. Survey and research for the promotion of regional social dialogue;
3. Subsidization of expenses incurred in promoting regional social dialogue;
4. Other matters deemed necessary by the Chairperson for the promotion of regional social dialogue.
Article 17(Detailed operating rules) #
Except as provided in this Decree, matters necessary for the operation of the Council shall be determined by the Chairperson following a resolution by the Council.