A new study by South Korea’s Gyeonggi Research Institute (GRI) suggests that reducing the work week to 35 hours is essential to tackle the country’s record-low birth rate. Researchers say long working hours are discouraging young couples from starting families.
South Korea has the world’s lowest fertility rate, with women expected to have only 0.72 babies on average in 2023, far below the 2.1 needed to maintain the population. The current legal work limit is 52 hours per week, which includes 12 hours of overtime. However, this leaves little time for family life.
A 2024 GRI survey of 1,000 workers aged 20 to 59 found that long hours are the biggest barrier to balancing work and family. Many dual-income couples in their 30s want to reduce their workday by 84 to 87 minutes.
The GRI recommends that public institutions lead the way by shortening the work-week and counting some commuting time as paid hours. Research fellow Yoo Jeong-gyun stated, “Lowering the legal work week to 35 hours is a necessary step.”
South Korea is already testing shorter work-weeks, with Gyeonggi province launching a four-day work week trial in 2024. The government has also expanded parental leave benefits to encourage family planning.
These efforts aim to improve work-life balance and address the country’s demographic challenges.
Leave a Reply