Park Myung-soo’s comments on shortened workweek stir debate

Comedian and radio host Park Myung-soo / Captured from his Instagram

Comedian Park Myung-soo has voiced concerns about Korea’s possible adoption of a four-and-a-half-day workweek, a policy under active discussion by the Lee Jae Myung administration.

His remarks triggered heated debate online, including dozens of supportive and critical comments on his social media accounts.

Park expressed his views during the Friday broadcast of KBS Cool FM’s “Park Myung-soo’s Radio Show.”

Referring to the era when Koreans worked six days a week, he said, “Back then, work ended at noon on Saturdays, and we would go home for lunch. I think it’s because we lived that way, working so hard, that we now live more comfortably.”

From that point, he made his opposition clear. “With our declining population, how can we reduce working hours even more? People say too much time is wasted, but we just need to avoid wasting it,” he said.

He added, “I’m a freelancer, so I even work during Chuseok holiday. It’s not bad to move with the times, but companies’ perspectives also matter. Businesses must survive for us to survive. This requires thorough discussion, especially when the economy isn’t strong.”

Kim Hyung-sun, center left, head of the Korean Financial Industry Union, speaks at a press conference in Seoul on Sept. 8, calling for the adoption of a four-and-a-half-day workweek ahead of a planned Sept. 26 general strike. Yonhap

Netizens divided

Park’s remarks drew criticism from many commenters. One wrote, “All you know about hard work is suffering on variety shows. Now that you’re a celebrity, do you only think about companies’ interests? That’s exactly what created the problems we see today.”

Another said, “Your income scale is incomparable. Working on holidays as an entertainer cannot be equated to regular jobs. How can someone who never worked in an office dismiss a four-and-a-half-day workweek?”

Others, however, backed his comments. “Growth has already slowed due to the 52-hour workweek. If we reduce working hours again, the results are obvious,” one wrote.

Another added, “Even the five-day workweek has not been fully settled. Pushing four or four-and-a-half-day schedules could hurt workers in the long run.” Supporters praised Park’s “honest opinion.”

Surveys show a slim majority favoring the shorter workweek. A Korea Gallup poll commissioned by the Seoul Economic Daily in May found 48 percent in support and 42 percent opposed. In a February Korea Research survey, 61 percent of respondents backed the policy.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.