Law to protect workers sends investors running to robots

The contentious passage of the "yellow envelope law" has triggered an unintended consequence by boosting expectations that robots will replace human labor at an even faster pace, industry officials said Tuesday. The pro-labor revisions to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act that passed the National Assembly on Sunday aim to broaden protections for subcontracted and indirectly employed workers and strengthen their right to collective action. While labor groups hailed the passage as a major victory, business circles warn that the law could undermine the competitiveness of industries reliant on complex supply chains and subcontracting, potentially inviting costly legal battles. Investor sentiment appears to lean toward the concerns raised by business leaders. Many see automation as a more dependable alternative to expanding the workforce without legal risks, a shift that has driven up robotics stocks sharply this week. According to the Korea Exchange, shares of Robotis, a robotics firm that produces a self-driving robot, surged to 103,300 won ($74), rising 2.58 percent TuesdaWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times