A recent survey found that over 60% of adults are against the so-called 'maximum 69-hour workweek system' proposed by the Yoon Seok Yeol administration.

The '69-hour workweek' policy is at the center of a heated debate as it seeks to introduce significant changes to current labor regulations. This proposed legislation aims to extend the maximum allowable working hours from the current limit of 52 hours to an increased ceiling of 69 hours per week, a move that has sparked conversations about work-life balance and employee well-being.

The survey was undertaken by the market research company STI on behalf of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). A thousand men and women aged 18 to 59 were surveyed nationwide over two days starting October 30th. When asked regarding their thoughts on the 'maximum 69-hour workweek,' a substantial 66.0% expressed their opposition towards this proposal, with a meager 29.6% showing their support.

In response to an inquiry about lengthening the maximum working hours limit from its current 52 hours, a considerable majority of 60.5% were not in favor. Of these, almost half, 47.4%, expressed a very negative perspective, while 36.2% seemed to view this positively.

When questioned if they believed labor and management could reach a consensus during the introduction of the working hours system on equal terms, 71.8% replied that they were not confident this could occur; a mere 19.3% had an optimistic outlook.

Concerning the potential impact of the proposed expansion of flexible working hours that could be adjustable through labor-management agreements, 61.1% believed it would have a positive impact on work-life balance while 33.2% saw a negative implication.

Additionally, concerning the 'Performance-Based Pay System' that the Yoon Seok Yeol administration is pushing for priority implementation in public institutions, 60.4% believed that it would not help resolve wage disparities. In comparison, only 27.7% thought it would.

Finally, when asked about the Yoon Seok Yeol administration's labor policies, 67.1% said they are on the 'inadequate' side, with 55.1% indicating it is 'very inadequate.' Those who considered the government's performance as 'adequate' accounted for 30.5%.

The KCTU commented on the survey results, stating, "It appears that a significant portion of the public holds a negative perception of the government's policies as it has been pushing labor policies unilaterally without the social consensus process, excluding workers and labor unions."

They further emphasized that for the long-term reform of labor hours and wage systems, it is essential to build consensus through sufficient discussions between labor and management and carefully proceed through social consensus.