Going against the trend

According to Yonhap, the South Korean Ministry of Labor recently proposed amending regulations on the maximum weekly working hours. Current labor law in South Korea stipulates a maximum of 52 working hours per week (40 regular working hours and 12 overtime hours). Companies face penalties if overtime hours exceed this maximum.

However, to meet the diverse labor needs of businesses, the South Korean government plans to revise the regulations to allow companies more flexibility in adjusting working hours, permitting them to increase the maximum working hours to 69 hours per week, while still keeping the average working hours within the 52-hour limit.

Increasing the weekly work limit to 69 hours means that in addition to the official 40 hours, employers can require employees to work up to 29 extra hours per week. The South Korean government argues that this regulation revision will allow companies to utilize employee energy during busy work weeks. Employees can then choose other days to take time off as compensation.

The South Korean Ministry of Labor argues that the current weekly working hour limits restrict the rights of companies and workers to choose their working hours. Given South Korea's aging society, working hard in exchange for extended vacation days would allow workers more time for their families, potentially even boosting the country's declining birth rate.

"We can address serious social issues such as rapid aging and low birth rates by allowing women more flexible working hours," Labor Minister Lee Jung-sik explained.

Working hours have always been a contentious issue in South Korea, which has one of the highest average working hours among developed countries worldwide. According to statistics from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in 2021, the average South Korean employee worked a total of 1,915 hours per year, ranking fifth in the OECD and nearly 200 hours higher than the global average.

The workaholic culture that has existed since South Korea's reconstruction after World War II is one of the reasons why this Asian nation has the lowest birth rate in the world. Many also worry that changing regulations to extend the maximum working hours per week will negatively impact workers' health, reversing previous efforts to limit working hours that began in 2018. Labor unions in South Korea have criticized the plan as an "outdated idea" and accused the government of forcing workers to work long hours.

Some opponents also argue that the new plan risks increasing unemployment because it could allow businesses to lay off workers who do not meet the requirement of working longer hours. Furthermore, President Yoon Suk-yeol faces opposition in the National Assembly, where the opposition party has vowed to block the reform, noting the high rates of burnout and death due to long working hours in South Korea.

After taking office in May 2022, President Yoon Suk-yeol's administration promoted labor and employment reforms, making labor reform a top policy priority. He pledged that the government would strive to address people's concerns by introducing regulations limiting working hours per month, quarter, or year, and ensuring the health of workers.

However, it is undeniable that the proposal to increase working hours in South Korea goes against the current trend, as many countries are moving towards reducing the number of working days per week, allowing workers less stress and more time for family, friends, and hobbies. The World Health Organization (WHO) also warns that working more than 55 hours per week poses a serious health risk. Therefore, experts believe that South Korea needs to be cautious in implementing a model of increasing maximum working hours to avoid negative impacts on the health of workers as well as the South Korean economy.

NGOC HAN

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/quoc-te/doi-song/di-nguoc-xu-huong-722041