South Korea’s low birth rate has sparked a national debate on the adoption of a four-day workweek as a potential solution. While the concept has garnered widespread support, with 80% of adults expressing a positive outlook, it also raises concerns about potential salary cuts and increased operational costs for businesses.

Although South Korean workers saw their average annual work hours fall in 2022, the country still lags behind other Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, with salaried workers in OECD member countries working an average of about 1,719 hours annually in 2022, 155 hours less than their South Korean counterparts.