Office workers hit with sudden leave requests as companies shut down for BTS concert, sparking labor dispute

Employees are raising concerns after some companies decided to temporarily close ahead of the BTS comeback concert in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, reportedly requiring staff to use their paid leave.

According to the civic group Workplace Gapjil 119 on March 18, it has recently received multiple reports from workers saying, “The company said it would shut down because of the concert and told us to take a half-day off on Friday.” As businesses cite safety concerns for closing operations, the burden of the shutdown is allegedly being passed on to employees.

Workplace Gapjil 119 emphasized that, under the Labor Standards Act, annual leave is, in principle, to be taken at the worker's request. Employers must grant leave at the requested time and may change the schedule only if it significantly disrupts business operations.

As a result, requiring employees to collectively use their annual leave on a specific date is widely seen as inconsistent with the law's intent.

In cases where employees have already submitted leave requests under company pressure, changes or cancellations may be possible through individual consultation. However, in principle, neither the employer nor the employee can unilaterally withdraw the request.

Another key issue is whether shutdown allowances should be paid. Under the Labor Standards Act, businesses with five or more employees must pay at least 70% of the average wage if a shutdown occurs due to the employer's responsibility. Even if operations are halted due to expected congestion or safety concerns related to the concert, the decision may still be considered a management decision, making such payments applicable.

However, workers at businesses with fewer than five employees, as well as freelancers and platform or specially employed workers, fall into a legal gray area where these protections are limited, making it difficult to claim shutdown allowances.

Kim Ja Yeon, a labor attorney at Workplace Gapjil 119, stated, “While the world is celebrating BTS’s comeback, if violations such as forcing workers to take leave or imposing shutdowns continue unchecked, the meaning of the celebration will inevitably be undermined.”

She added, “In particular, workers in smaller workplaces, freelancers, and platform or specially employed workers—who are already in blind spots of labor law—face difficulties even in claiming shutdown allowances, highlighting the need for stronger protections for workers’ right to rest.”