South Koreans work fewer hours since adoption of 52-hour work week

SEOUL, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- South Koreans' daily working hours have decreased since the country adopted a 52-hour work week in July, a data showed on Tuesday.

South Korean workers in Seoul's business district of Gwanghwamun worked 55 minutes shorter from Aug. 1 to Sept. 16 compared to the same period last year, according to a data released by a telecom operator KT on Tuesday, Yonhap News reported.

Under a new labor law, South Korean workers work for 40 hours during weekdays, up to an extra 12 hours of overtime. The revised Labor Standards Act mandates businesses with more than 300 employees to limit the maximum working hours from the previous 68 hours to 52.

KT analyzed cellphone signals collected at mobile base stations at major business districts in the capital for the data.

The information showed that office workers in Gwanghwamun area arrive at work 30 minutes later in the morning compared to last year. The number of employees who arrive between 7:30-8 a.m., declined from 26 to 15 percent. Those, who arrive between 8: 30-9 a.m., increased from 21 to 38 percent.

The number of workers off work between 6-7 p.m. rose to 31 percent, a 7 percent increase from last year.

The data, however, showed that workers in a digital industry complex, home to mid-sized companies and start-ups with fewer than 300 employees worked 5 minutes longer, on average, than last year.

Workers at IT and game companies worked 11 minutes shorter than last year, the data shows. Working hours in the country's largest financial district of Yeouido also reduced by 6 minutes.