As 996 culture spreads in China, South Korea’s tech sector faces a 52-hour cap

As the world races to stay ahead of the deep tech revolution — from artificial intelligence and semiconductors to quantum computing — innovation has become the new currency of power. For many companies, this pressure has translated into heavier workloads and more intense work cultures. However, they face a real dilemma: they simply cannot afford to slow down while competitors around the world strive for victory.

When I heard news of the intense “996” work culture — working 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, with a 72-hour workweek — that had spread from China to Silicon Valley, it made me wonder how different countries approach work hours and workplace cultures in the tech industry. I was particularly interested in how things compare here in South Korea, where I currently reside.

In South Korea, the standard work week is 40 hours, with up to 12 hours of overtime, usually paid at 1.5 times the regular rate or more. Employers who violate these rules risk fines, imprisonment, and civil liability.

The 52-hour working week, introduced in 2018 for large companies with more than 300 employees and public institutions, was gradually extended to all companies and came into full effect on January 1, 2025.

Earlier this year, South Korea launched a special extended work program that allows employees to work beyond the 52-hour weekly limit, with worker and government approval, for up to 64 hours. For deep technology sectors such as semiconductors, approval periods have been temporarily extended from three to six months, although local media reports indicate that only a few companies have actually taken advantage of this. Looking ahead, the South Korean government plans to scale back these special exemptions and tighten working hour regulations, although some lawmakers argue that current guidelines are sufficient, according to the report.

TechCrunch spoke with several South Korea-based tech investors and founders about how the 52-hour workweek limit has impacted their businesses and R&D projects as they try to compete with global companies.

“The 52-hour work week is really a challenging factor when making investment decisions in deep tech sectors,” Youngkwan Lee, CEO of South Korea-based venture capital firm Bluepoint Partners, told TechCrunch. “This is especially important when investing in globally competitive sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing. Business challenges are particularly complex in these sectors, as founders and teams often face intense workloads and long hours during critical growth phases.”

At Bluepoint, early-stage investments often occur before core technologies are fully developed or products are ready for market. In this context, Lee pointed out that strict restrictions on working hours could affect the pace of reaching major work milestones.

In South Korea, 70.4% of employees at startups answered that they would be willing to work an additional 52 hours per week if provided with adequate compensation, according to local reports.

The country’s 52-hour work week often feels like… Restricted protection.

“Engineers work to find practical solutions to complex problems,” Kim said. “Our work is not about completing pre-defined tasks within set hours. It is about using creativity and deep focus to solve challenges and create new value. When an idea arises or a technical advance occurs, the concept of time disappears. If the system forces you to stop at that moment, it breaks the flow and can actually reduce efficiency.”

Kim added that while an intense short-term focus is crucial as project deadlines approach or when improving key algorithms, strict legal boundaries can sometimes get in the way, including depending on the type of engineering role someone holds. “Even among engineers, production roles in manufacturing are different from R&D roles,” Kim explained. “In manufacturing, productivity is directly related to hours worked, so schedules must take industrial safety into account. Overtime must also be compensated fairly.”

When asked about flexibility in the workplace, Hoyoung Lee, co-founder of LeMong, which makes feedback management software, said he believed knowing the monthly average would be more practical than strictly adhering to the country’s 52-hour weekly maximum. He noted that work intensity often varies depending on the stage of R&D and project timelines in deep tech companies.

“For companies like ours, intense development efforts are often needed for about two weeks before the product is launched, and then the workload eases once the product is stable,” Lee said. “The monthly flexible system 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 think it is useful to consider different standards for companies focused on deep technology and R&D. At the same time, for startups with fewer than 10 to 20 employees, it is necessary to establish more flexible standards to meet their unique operational needs.”

Kim also noted that there is a clear link between performance and hours worked. He said high-performing team members often tend to work longer hours. But instead of looking for bonuses for extra time, these high-performing employees focus on achieving results and advancing quickly within the company.

“Engineers are more motivated to dig deeper when their efforts are recognized, whether through performance bonuses, stock options, or recognition of technical contributions,” Kim said. “In high-tech, R&D and IT industries, as well as in globally competitive companies where technical expertise is key, decisions about flexible working hours must be driven by market logic.”

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

“At present, there does not appear to be any major concerns. While it is always difficult to predict how work systems or monitoring practices will evolve, many investment firms today do not strictly track employees’ work hours. To my knowledge, there is currently no requirement for companies to provide formal evidence proving that employees are staying within the 52-hour weekly maximum.”

The venture capital head noted that if an employee files a complaint, “the absence of detailed time records can raise questions about compliance. However, most R&D or deep-tech companies typically employ professionals who are highly self-motivated and manage their schedules responsibly, so such cases appear to be relatively uncommon.”

The biggest challenge is likely to lie in labor-intensive industries, such as logistics, delivery, or manufacturing, where a large portion of workers earn incomes close to the minimum wage. “In these sectors, regulating a 52-hour work week can significantly increase labor costs due to mandatory overtime pay and paid vacations. As a result, maintaining productivity and achieving economies of scale can become more difficult for companies operating under tight profit margins,” the investor said.

How other countries work

To understand where South Korea’s 52-hour limit fits into the global landscape — and why deep tech companies feel sandwiched between competing pressures — it’s helpful to examine how other major tech hubs regulate work hours.

In Germany, the United Kingdom and France, standard working weeks typically range from 33 to 48 hours. In Australia and Canada, the standard working week is 38 and 40 hours respectively, with mandatory overtime pay, providing a balance between employment rights and flexibility in the workplace.

In the United States, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes a standard workweek of 40 hours. Non-exempt employees earn time and a half for any overtime, and there is no limit on total hours worked. (In California, the rules only require double pay for certain overtime hours.)

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

The work week in Singapore is slightly longer at 44 hours, with a maximum of 72 additional working hours per month. If evenly distributed, that’s roughly 62 hours a week. Overtime pay rates are similar: 1.5 times for weekdays, 2 times for rest days, and 3 times for public holidays.

South Korea’s 52-hour cap falls in the middle of this spectrum, stricter than the United States and Singapore but more flexible than most European countries. Either way, for deep tech founders competing globally, the question isn’t just about numbers, it’s whether strict weekly limits can accommodate the intense, uneven work flows that characterize early-stage R&D.