Labor ministry moves to make electronic work-card terminals a legal duty at construction sites

South Korea's labor ministry said Wednesday it is seeking public comment on a draft revision to the enforcement decree of the law on improving employment for construction workers, moving the requirement for employers to install electronic work-card terminals from presidential decree into statute and adding fines for non-compliance.

The change follows an amendment to the Construction Workers' Employment Improvement Act that was published on July 7 and takes effect on Jan. 8, 2027. Under the draft, employers must install terminals meeting standards set by the employment and labor minister by the day before work begins on a site, and operate them until completion. The existing decree provision covering the same obligation would be deleted.

Contractors on projects lasting 60 days or fewer would be allowed to use a mobile phone application in place of a terminal. The draft defines the application as software run by the Construction Workers Mutual Aid Association that lets workers register their attendance using location data, without a separate device. The association would also designate and manage terminals that meet the minister's standards.

Fines would be calibrated to the number of violations, with the amounts written into a new entry in the decree's penalty table. The law now penalises employers who fail to install or operate a terminal, or who do not use the application where one is permitted. The electronic card system, which has applied to all construction sites required to enrol workers in the retirement benefit scheme since 2024, is intended to let workers record their own working hours, closing gaps in the working days reported for retirement benefits and helping them track their careers.

"The electronic card system is an important means for construction workers to record their own work history and manage their careers themselves," said Jang Geon, chairman of the Construction Workers Mutual Aid Association.

Written comments on the draft will be accepted through Dec. 14, either online via the public legislation portal or by submission to the employment and labor minister.