Decrease in Weekly Working Hours of Korean Workers From 2010 to 2020 According to Employment Status and Industrial...

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Labor Economics
• Sociology of Work

Background:

• Examined working hour trends among Korean workers between 2010 and 2020.
• Analyzed changes based on employment status (employees, self-employed, employers) and industrial sector.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the evolution of working hours in South Korea over a decade.
• To identify disparities in working hours across different employment types and industries.
• To assess the impact of labor regulations on excessive work hours.

Main Methods:

• Secondary analysis of data from the Korean Working Conditions Surveys (2010, 2014, 2017, 2020).
• Data collected by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency.
• Statistical examination of average weekly working hours and proportion of workers exceeding 48 hours/week.

Main Results:

• Significant decreases in average weekly working hours and long work hours (≥48h/week) for employees, self-employed, and employers.
• In 2020, most employees worked 40 hours, while self-employed and employers often exceeded 60 hours.
• Specific sectors like 'Accommodation and food service' (self-employed/employers) and 'Transportation' (employees) reported the longest hours.

Conclusions:

• The 40-hour and 52-hour work-week regulations in Korea effectively reduced excessive working hours.
• Despite overall reductions, variations persist based on employment status and industry.
• Recommendation to extend regulations to smaller workplaces (<5 employees) to further improve worker well-being.