Reduced Working Hours: South Korea to cut 'inhumanely long' 68-hour workweek

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South Korea is about to cut what it describes as an "inhumanely long" 68-hour work week. But businesses warn that could lead to reduced productivity without any tangible gains for workers. And that many may end up in multiple jobs to make ends meet. CGTN's Jack Barton has more from the port city of Gunsan.

South Korean workers have a reputation as being among the most overworked in Asia, but they're about to get a break. Lawmakers recently passed legislation to cut maximum weekly working hours from 68 down to 52, plus another 12 of overtime.

JACK BARTON GUNSAN "The cut in hours was a campaign pledge by South Korea's president Moon Jae-in, who also secured a 16 percent rise in the minimum wage this year. Moon says the cut will improve living standards, create jobs and boost productivity."

The new law is also aimed at increasing the country's comparatively low birthrate. But there has been strong resistance from businesses of all sizes and many economists, who say it will lead to people holding two or three jobs as well as lower productivity and living standards.

LEE BYUNG-TAE CEO, KAIST VENTURE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS "I think it's a wrong policy with a good intention. You know the manipulation of the labor market doesn't really produce a good labor market, it is derived from a good economy, right? So now the Korean economy is losing jobs."

South Koreans labor about 400 hours a year more than workers in other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development nations like the UK and Australia, despite having similar average incomes. And not everyone thinks it's a bad idea, some firms are already well in advance of the July deadline.

JOO NAM-JIN FOUNTAIN GAMES "Our company has had a 40-hour work week for the past two years as the basis of our work standard, so we won't be greatly influenced by the changes to the law one way or another."

It's still a controversial idea in a country priding itself on hard work and sacrifice. Labor groups have praised the new laws while at least one-business institute claims they will lead to eleven billion dollars in lost annual productivity. Jack Barton, CGTN, Gunsan.