Labor Minister nominee Kim Young-hoon has pledged to immediately pursue the long-delayed “yellow envelope law” if confirmed.

Speaking at his confirmation hearing Wednesday, Kim said he would begin party-government consultations to advance the bill, which seeks to expand protections for workers and limit companies’ ability to sue striking employees.

The bill twice passed the National Assembly during the previous administration but was vetoed by former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Kim, a former leader of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, criticized past opposition to the law and stressed the need to align labor practices with constitutional protections.

He also voiced support for a four-and-a-half-day workweek and a later retirement age, while addressing concerns about widening labor-market disparities.