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Lawmakers vote on the Yellow Envelope Act during a plenary session at the National Assembly in Seoul on August 24. / Source: Yonhap News

The National Assembly on August 24 passed the so-called Yellow Envelope Act — a revision to Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union Act — in a plenary session led by the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), escalating tensions with the ruling bloc.

Out of 186 lawmakers present, 183 voted in favor and 3 against. DPK members and lawmakers from progressive-leaning parties overwhelmingly supported the bill, while People Power Party (PPP) lawmakers boycotted the vote, labeling it an “anti-economy law.” Three members of the New Reform Party voted against.

The Yellow Envelope Act, which was previously scrapped last year after then-President Yoon Suk Yeol exercised his veto, expands the definition of employers, broadens the scope of labor disputes, and limits companies’ damage claims against striking workers.

Although scheduled for a vote the previous day, proceedings were delayed after PPP lawmakers launched a filibuster. The DPK filed a motion to end the filibuster, and the vote to close debate was carried out at 9:12 a.m. on Sunday, just 24 hours after discussions began.

Immediately following the bill’s passage, the DPK introduced a commercial law amendment mandating cumulative voting and expanding the separate election of audit committee members at companies with assets of 2 trillion won or more.

The PPP denounced the move as “strangling businesses” and again resorted to a filibuster. The corporate law amendment is expected to be put to a vote in a plenary session on August 25.