Labor regulations should be relaxed, especially the capping of the workweek at 52 hours, according to a group assembled by the president.

The Future Labor Market Society, headed by Sookmyung Women’s University business management professor Kwon Soon-won, released its findings outlining a general framework for the administration’s labor policies.

It noted the need to increase autonomy of workers to prevent side effects caused by rigid and unilaterally applied labor policies and to increase the choices that workers can make.

The president’s advisory group concluded that companies and workers agree that the 52-hour workweek requirement, first adopted in 2019, should continue.

Some workers said that the number of working hours should be averaged by the month instead of being a strict weekly cap, according to the group.

President Yoon Suk-yeol has voiced concerns about companies being overloaded during peak season, especially small companies. Some smaller companies have to turn down business during particularly busy weeks, or they have to hire quickly to deal with staff shortages.

Current regulations do not give employees the right to make choices on their own about their preferred hours of work.

Kwon said the advisory group is currently working on final guidelines, with the goal of expanding flexibility within the bounds of the 52-hour cap.

The advisory group also raised the need to change the wage system, which is currently based on the number of years of employment.

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