52-hour Week Not For Semicon Staff: Korea

Seoul: Industry and labour ministers on Tuesday called for an exemption of researchers in the semiconductor industry from South Korea's 52-hour workweek system that prevents them from working extended hours even when needed.

The government has been calling for a revision to the system to allow such workers to put in additional hours when necessary, reports Yonhap news agency.

Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun and Labour Minister Kim Moon-soo made the call during a meeting with officials from the semiconductor industry, including those from leading chipmakers Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc.

"The ongoing chip war is a technology war, and a tech war is ultimately a race against time," Ahn said, referring to the fierce global competition in the chip industry.