1042
0想进外刊学习群的同学，请加我微信HLSHW666，群内分享完整版文章，和所有我讲过的外刊原文
Death from overwork: young Koreans rebel against culture of long hours
Hard graft is ingrained in South Korean society, but when the state proposed a 69-hour week, it was forced to back down as millennials and gen-Zers reject traditional working practices
Jun 18, 2023, The Guardian
Working during my holidays and weekends became a routine,” says Lee Sang-hyuk as he describes the culture of overtime at the large pharmaceutical company he used to work for near Seoul. “I gradually realised that my life and health were deteriorating due to excessive hours. I had no energy, and neglected my personal relationships.”
He developed back pain from long hours sitting at his desk, and said he became anxious and lethargic. “During the few times I was able to meet my friends, I couldn’t even enjoy that, as all I could think about was work. I thought I was the problem,” the 35-year-old told the Guardian.
What Lee did next would once have seemed extraordinary for an employee in South Korea’s culture of long working hours: he quit.
His story is not an isolated case. It represents a broader movement taking shape in South Korea among a generation of determined youth rebelling against the suffocating grip of the country’s rigid work culture. The “MZ generation”, as they are referred to in South Korea, encompassing both generation Z and millennials, is at the heart of a potential generational shift away from a culture of overwork.
The last straw for some came in March with the government’s proposal to revise the working hours system, permitting up to 69 hours a week. The current law allows the basic 40-hour working-week principle to be applied to companies, with overtime limited to a maximum of 12 hours, though exceptions do exist.
