The Right to Rest, Unevenly Applied Across South Korean Workplaces (Image supported by ChatGPT)
SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — Nearly one in three South Korean workers say they cannot freely use their paid annual leave, according to a new survey by a civic advocacy group, highlighting persistent gaps between labor law protections and workplace realities.
The findings, released Sunday by Workplace Abuse 119 (Gabjil119), are based on a poll of 1,000 employees conducted in early October by Global Research. About 31 percent of respondents said they were unable to take annual leave whenever they wished, despite legal entitlements guaranteeing paid time off.
Restrictions were most pronounced among workers in vulnerable employment categories. More than half of employees at companies with fewer than five workers reported difficulty using leave, as did roughly 60 percent of part-time workers, freelancers and those in special employment arrangements. Nonregular workers were also disproportionately affected.
The survey found that limited access to leave translated into minimal time off. Nearly 38 percent of respondents said they had used fewer than six days of annual leave last year. The figure rose sharply among nonregular workers, low-income earners and employees at small businesses, with more than three-quarters of workers earning under 1.5 million won a month reporting fewer than six days off.
Junior employees were especially constrained. About 63 percent of entry-level workers said they took fewer than six days of leave, compared with far lower proportions among mid-level and senior managers.
The study also pointed to workplace retaliation. About 13 percent of respondents said they had experienced disadvantages after attempting to use annual leave, including denied approvals, negative reactions from supervisors, increased workloads and exclusion from key meetings or events.
Workplace Abuse 119 said the findings underscored a widespread disconnect between legal guarantees and everyday practices, particularly for workers with weaker bargaining power. The group called for stronger institutional safeguards and a broader cultural shift to ensure that the right to rest is respected across all workplaces.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
