As China’s 996 culture spreads, South Korea’s tech sector grapples with 52-hour limit

As the world races to stay ahead of the deep tech revolution — from AI and semiconductors to quantum computing — innovation has become the new currency of power. For many companies, that pressure has translated into heavier workloads and a more intense work culture. Yet they face a real dilemma: They simply can’t relax when competitors across the globe push hard to win.

When I came across the breaking news “996” work culture — working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, 72-hour workweeks — spanning from China to Silicon Valley, it has amazed me how different countries approach work hours and workplace culture in the tech industry. I was especially curious how things compare here in South Korea, where I am currently based.

In South Korea, the standard workweek is 40 hours, up to 12 hours overtimeUsually 1.5 times the regular rate or more is paid. Employers who violate these rules risk fines, executive imprisonment and civil liability.

52 hour work week, Launched in 2018 For large companies with more than 300 employees and public institutions, all businesses gradually expanded Fully effective on January 1, 2025.

South Korea at the beginning of this year A special extended work program has been launched which allows employees to work beyond the 52-hour weekly limit, with employee consent and government approval, up to 64 hours. For deep technology sectors like semiconductors, the approval period was temporarily extended Three to six monthsAlthough Local media reports Suggest that only a few companies have actually taken advantage of it. Looking ahead, the South Korean government plans to scale back these special concessions and tighten working-hour rules, even as some lawmakers argue that current guidelines are sufficient. Report.

TechCrunch spoke to several tech investors and founders based in South Korea about how the 52-hour workweek limit affects their businesses and their research and development projects as they try to compete with global companies.

“The 52-hour work week is a really challenging factor when making investment decisions in the deep tech sector,” said Yongkwan Lee, CEO of a South Korea-based venture capital firm. BluePoint PartnersTechCrunch said. “This is particularly relevant when investing in globally competitive sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Labor challenges in these sectors are particularly complex, where founders and teams often face intense workloads and long hours during critical growth phases.”

At Bluepoint, investments are made at an early stage before the underlying technologies are fully developed or the products are ready for market. In this context, Lee noted that strict limitations on working hours could potentially affect the speed with which key business milestones are reached.

In South Korea, 70.4% of startup company employees responded that they would be willing to work an extra 52 hours per week if adequately compensated, Local reports.

Bohyung Kim, its CTO MrA South Korean startup backed by LG Uplus that provides agentic AI solutions to more than 13,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in the food and beverage sector, said the country’s 52-hour work-week system often feels more Limitation rather than protection.

“Engineers work to find practical solutions to complex problems,” Kim said. “Our work is not about completing predetermined tasks in a certain time. It is about using creativity and deep focus to solve challenges and create new values. When an idea strikes or a technological breakthrough occurs, the concept of time disappears. If a system forces you to stop at that moment, it breaks the flow and can reduce effectiveness.”

Kim adds that while intense focus is crucial for short-term, project deadlines or when refining core algorithms, strict legal limits can sometimes get in the way, depending on the type of engineering role one holds. “Even among engineers, production roles in manufacturing are different from R&D positions,” Kim explained. “In manufacturing, productivity is directly linked to working hours, so schedules must account for industrial safety. Overtime should also be fairly compensated.”

Asked about workplace flexibility, Huyong Lee, co-founder of comments management software maker Lemong, said he thought it would be more practical to figure out monthly averages than strictly adhere to the country’s 52-hour weekly limit. He noted that work intensity often varies depending on R&D and project timelines in deep tech firms.

“For companies like ours, a product launch requires intensive development efforts for about two weeks, after which the workload eases as the product stabilizes,” Lee said. “A system with monthly flexibility will allow us to work approximately 60 hours per week before launch and 40 hours per week afterward, maintaining an average of 52 hours while ensuring operational efficiency,” Lee continued. “I also believe it’s worth considering separate standards for deep technology and R&D-focused companies. At the same time, for startups with fewer than 10-20 employees, it’s essential to establish more flexible standards to accommodate their unique operational needs.”

Kim also noted that there is a clear link between performance and work hours. High-performing team members often tend to take longer, he said. But instead of seeking rewards for overtime, these top performers focus on achieving results and moving up quickly within the company.

“When engineers are recognized for their efforts, whether through performance bonuses, stock options, or recognition of technical contributions, they are much more motivated to dive in,” says Kim. “In high-tech, R&D, and IT industries, as well as in globally competitive organizations where technical expertise is important, decisions about flexible working hours should be driven by market logic.”

Another Seoul-based venture capitalist, who invests in startups, downplays the impact of the 52-hour workweek limit on investment decisions.

“At this point, there doesn’t seem to be any major concern. While it’s always difficult to predict how labor regulations or monitoring practices may evolve, many enterprise companies today don’t strictly track employees’ work hours. To my understanding, there is currently no requirement for companies to submit formal proof that employees are within the 52-hour weekly limit.”

If an employee were to file a complaint, the VC noted, “the absence of detailed time records could raise questions of compliance. That said, most R&D or deeptech firms typically employ highly self-motivated professionals who manage their own schedules responsibly, so incidents like this seem relatively uncommon.”

Greater challenges are likely to lie in more labor-intensive industries, such as logistics, delivery, or manufacturing, where a large portion of workers earn close to the minimum wage. “In those sectors, 52-hour workweek regulations due to mandatory overtime pay and paid holidays could significantly increase labor costs. As a result, maintaining productivity and achieving economies of scale could become more difficult for businesses operating under tight margins,” this investor said.

How do other countries work?

To understand where South Korea’s 52-hour limit fits into the global landscape — and why its deep tech firms feel the squeeze under competitive pressure — it’s worth examining how other major tech hubs regulate work hours.

In Germany, the UK and France, the standard working week is usually the range From 33 to 48 hours. In Australia And canada, Offering a balance between labor rights and workplace flexibility, standard workweeks are 38 and 40 hours respectively, with mandatory overtime pay.

In the United States, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) set A typical 40-hour work week. Non-exempt workers earn time-and-a-half for any overtime and there is no limit on total hours. (In California, the rule only requires double pay for certain overtime.)

in chinaThe ideal work schedule is also 40 hours per week, or 8 hours per day. Overtime is paid at higher rates: around 150% of regular pay on weekdays, 200% on weekends and 300% on public holidays. in JapanThe standard working week is 40 hours, with 45 hours of overtime per month and 370 hours per year under normal circumstances. Employers who exceed these limits may incur fines and administrative penalties as in other countries.

Singapore work week Slightly longer at 44 hours, a maximum of 72 overtime hours per month. Spread evenly, that’s about 62 hours per week. Overtime pay rates are the same: 1.5 times for weekdays, 2 times for rest days and 3 times for public holidays.

South Korea’s 52-hour cap sits in the middle of this spectrum, stricter than the US and Singapore but more flexible than much of Europe. Either way, for deep-tech founders competing globally, the question isn’t just about numbers—it’s about whether strict weekly limits can accommodate the intense, uneven workflow that characterizes early-stage R&D.