South Korea’s working hours decline, still above OECD average
South Korea’s average annual working hours fell by 32 hours in 2025, reaching 1,833 hours, but remain significantly higher than the OECD average of 1,736 hours, Qazinform News Agency reports reffering to Yonhap.
South Korea in 2025 made 1,833 hours, down from 1,865 in 2024.
The OECD average across 36 nations stands at 1,736 hours.
South Korea ranked 6th among OECD countries.
Mexico topped the standings with 2,205 hours, followed by Costa Rica, Chile, Greece, Israel.
In 2025, South Koreans worked 33 hours more than U.S. workers, 235 hours more than Japanese workers, and 501 hours more than German workers (1,332 hours, lowest in OECD).
The 52-hour workweek system, introduced in 2018, has contributed to steady declines.
The government aims to reduce average annual working hours to around 1,700 by 2030.
