SEOUL: South Korea’s government plans to push new legislation in 2026 to curb excessive working hours, including giving workers the right to disconnect from job related messages after hours and introducing half-day leave as a legal entitlement.
The bill, announced on Dec 30 by the Ministry of Employment and Labour, will also tighten rules on “inclusive wage” systems that bundle overtime and extra allowances into fixed monthly pay.
South Korea’s real working hours stood at 1,859 in 2024 - among the highest in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The planned changes are part of a broader push to bring South Korea’s real annual working hours down to the OECD average of 1,708 by 2030.
Real working hours include overtime and work performed beyond legal limits, rather than just standard contracted hours.
The ministry plans to submit a comprehensive bill in the first half of 2026. The proposal will seek to shield workers from unnecessary work instructions outside office hours and better guarantee rest between shifts.
At the same time, the government will move to revise the Labour Standards Act to formally introduce half-day leave. While the law currently guarantees paid annual leave, half-day and quarter-day leave systems are now offered only at the discretion of individual companies.
The inclusive wage system, long criticised for encouraging excessive overtime, will face tighter conditions. Under the revised rules, companies will be allowed to use the system only with worker consent or when it clearly offers better conditions for employees.
“We reached an agreement among labour, business and the government through extensive communication and compromise on measures to reduce working hours,” said Labour Minister Kim Young Hoon.
“The government will fully support the passage of the agreed legislative agenda in the National Assembly.” - The Korea Herald/ANN
