President Yoon: Shortening Work Hours is an "Inevitable Challenge"

President Yoon emphasized a gradual approach through social dialogue rather than specifying a clear timeframe for the introduction of a 4.5-day work week during a recent press conference.

At the press conference held on the morning of the 3rd at the Blue House's state guesthouse, President Yoon stressed that shortening work hours is “an international trend and an inevitable challenge.”

In response to a question about the timing of the 4.5-day work week implementation, he replied, "I cannot specify a timeframe." He further pointed out that if productivity is dropping, work is becoming more demanding, and international competitiveness declines, then that approach is a historical method that relied on quantity rather than quality, emphasizing the importance of improving labor productivity and achieving work-life balance through reduced working hours.

Emphasis on Gradual Approach Through Social Dialogue

He noted that the 4.5-day work week is “quite a controversial issue,” explaining that the method proposed by the opposition was “working an extra hour for four days and having a half-day on Friday, which is a kind of modified working system.”

He pointed out, “There is a misunderstanding that such a system would be legally enforced and universally implemented at a specific time,” stating, “If that were the case, conflicts and confrontations would become too severe to implement.”

President Yoon particularly mentioned that South Koreans work about 120 hours more annually compared to the OECD average, adding, “In the end, that amounts to an extra month and a half, or nearly two months of work.”

He emphasized that reducing working hours can not only enable a healthier life but can also create and distribute jobs effectively.

Shortening Work Hours: A Structural Societal Challenge, Not Just a Slogan

President Yoon pointed out that the issue of reducing working hours is not merely a slogan of “let’s reduce working days,” but a complex task that requires a comprehensive consideration of productivity improvement and quality of life throughout societal structures.

He reiterated the necessity of “rational social dialogue” in this process, suggesting that the shortening of working hours should gradually occur through consensus from society as a whole.

President Yoon's recent remarks regarding the 4.5-day work week highlight the need for reducing working hours while emphasizing the importance of the social consensus process over a specific implementation timeframe.

Image source: President Yoon / News1, Materials for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank