In response to economic downturns, some major South Korean companies, including HD Hyundai Oilbank and SK On, are asking executives to work six days a week, raising alarms about work-life balance in a country known for long working hours. Despite a legal cap of 52 hours per week, these measures signal a cultural acceptance of extended work periods. Labor groups argue the crisis measures are performative, emphasizing that business culture pressures all employees to extend their working hours. Younger workers, facing intense job insecurity and high living costs, are particularly impacted, with many considering relocation for better work-life balance.
See "Declaring ‘Crisis,’ South Korean Firms Tell Managers to Work 6 Days a Week", Jin Yu Young, New York Times, August 5, 2024