Starting next year, workers in South Korea will be able to use their paid annual leave in hourly increments rather than only in full-day units. Part-time workers will also gain more flexibility in how they take their rest breaks.
The government approved an amendment to the Labor Standards Act at a Cabinet meeting Monday, chaired by President Lee Jae Myung.
Under the revised law, workers may divide unused annual leave and take it in hourly portions. Current rules require annual leave to be taken in full-day units as a general principle, but the amendment will allow employees to use a few hours at a time for personal appointments, childcare, medical visits or other needs.
The government said it expects the change to make it easier for workers to use their leave and to support a better work-life balance.
The amendment also changes how rest breaks are handled for workers on four-hour shifts. Under current law, employees working four hours are entitled to a mandatory break of at least 30 minutes, but the revised rules will allow workers who explicitly choose to do so to skip the break and leave immediately when their shift ends.
The amendment also includes safeguards to protect workers' rights. It explicitly prohibits employers from dismissing or otherwise disadvantaging employees for requesting or taking annual leave.
The revisions reflect discussions by a tripartite task force — involving labor, management and government — on a roadmap to reduce actual working hours.
The hourly annual leave system will take effect one year after the law is promulgated, while the flexible rest-break provision will come into force six months after promulgation.
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