As the world races to stay ahead in the deep tech revolution, from artificial intelligence and semiconductors to quantum computing, innovation has become the new currency of power. For many companies, this pressure has translated into heavier workloads and more intense work cultures. They face a real dilemma as they cannot simply ease up while competitors across the globe push harder to win.
News about the intense 996 work culture, which involves working from 9 am to 9 pm for six days a week for a total of 72 hours, spreading from China to Silicon Valley, raises questions about how different countries approach work hours and workplace cultures in the tech industry. This is especially relevant in South Korea, where the standard workweek is 40 hours with up to 12 hours of overtime, usually paid at 1.5 times the regular rate or more. Employers who violate these rules risk fines, executive imprisonment, and civil liability.
The 52-hour workweek was introduced in 2018 for large companies with over 300 employees and public institutions. It was gradually extended to all businesses and fully took effect on January 1, 2025. Earlier this year, South Korea rolled out a special extended work program that lets employees work beyond the 52-hour weekly limit, with both worker consent and government approval, up to 64 hours. For deep tech sectors like semiconductors, approval periods were temporarily extended from three to six months. However, local media reports suggest that only a few companies actually took advantage of this program. Looking ahead, the South Korean government plans to scale back these special exemptions and tighten working-hour regulations, even as some lawmakers argue that the current guidelines are sufficient.
TechCrunch spoke with several tech investors and founders based in South Korea about how the 52-hour workweek limit affects their businesses and research and development projects as they try to compete with global companies. Yongkwan Lee, CEO of South Korea-based venture capital firm Bluepoint Partners, stated that the 52-hour workweek is indeed a challenging factor when making investment decisions in deep tech sectors. This is particularly relevant when investing in globally competitive sectors like semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing. Labor challenges are particularly complex in these sectors, where founders and teams often face intense workloads and long hours during critical growth phases.
At Bluepoint, early-stage investments are often made before the underlying technologies are fully developed or products are ready for market. In this context, Lee noted that strict limits on working hours could potentially impact the pace at which key business milestones are reached. In South Korea, 70.4 percent of employees at startup companies responded that they would be willing to work an additional 52 hours per week if adequate compensation is provided, according to local reports.
Bohyung Kim, CTO of LeMong, a South Korean startup backed by LG Uplus that delivers agentic AI solutions to more than 13,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in the food and beverage sector, said the country’s 52-hour workweek system often feels more like a restriction than a protection. Kim explained that engineers work to find practical solutions to complex problems, and their work is not about completing predefined tasks within fixed hours. It is about using creativity and deep focus to solve challenges and create new value. When an idea strikes or a technical breakthrough happens, the concept of time disappears. If a system forces you to stop at that moment, it breaks the flow and can actually reduce efficiency.
Kim added that while short-term, intense focus is crucial as project deadlines approach or when refining key algorithms, rigid legal limits can sometimes get in the way, including depending on the kind of engineering role someone holds. Even among engineers, production roles in manufacturing differ from research and development positions. In manufacturing, productivity is directly linked to working hours, so schedules need to account for industrial safety, and overtime should also be fairly compensated.
When asked about workplace flexibility, Huiyong Lee, co-founder of LeMong, which makes comment management software, said he thinks figuring out a monthly average would be more practical than adhering strictly to the country’s 52-hour weekly limit. He noted that work intensity often varies depending on the stage of research and development and project timelines in deep tech companies. For companies like his, intensive development efforts are often required for approximately two weeks prior to a product launch, after which the workload eases once the product stabilizes. A system with monthly flexibility would allow working around 60 hours per week before a launch and 40 hours per week afterward, maintaining an average of 52 hours while ensuring operational efficiency. He also believes it is worth considering differentiated standards for deep tech and research and development focused companies. At the same time, for startups with fewer than 10 to 20 employees, it is essential to establish more flexible criteria to accommodate their unique operational needs.
Kim also noted that there is a clear link between performance and hours worked. High-performing team members often tend to put in longer hours. But rather than seeking rewards for the extra time, these top performers focus on achieving results and advancing quickly within the company. Engineers are far more motivated to dive in when their efforts are recognized, whether through performance bonuses, stock options, or acknowledgment of technical contributions. In high-tech, research and development, and information technology industries, as well as in globally competitive firms where technical expertise is key, decisions about flexible work hours should be driven by market logic.
Another Seoul-based venture capitalist, who invests in startups, downplayed the impact of the 52-hour workweek limit on investment decisions. The VC stated that at the moment, there do not appear to be any major concerns. While it is always difficult to predict how labor regulations or monitoring practices might evolve, many venture companies today do not strictly track employees’ working hours. To their understanding, there is currently no requirement for companies to submit formal evidence proving that employees stay within the 52-hour weekly limit. If an employee were to file a complaint, the absence of detailed time records could raise compliance questions. That said, most research and development or deep tech firms typically employ highly self-motivated professionals who manage their own schedules responsibly, so such cases seem relatively uncommon.
The greater challenge likely lies in more labor-intensive industries, such as logistics, delivery, or manufacturing, where a large portion of workers earn close to the minimum wage. In those sectors, the 52-hour workweek regulation can significantly increase labor costs due to mandatory overtime pay and paid leave. As a result, maintaining productivity and achieving economies of scale can become more difficult for businesses operating under tight margins.
To understand where South Korea’s 52-hour limit fits in the global landscape and why its deep tech companies feel squeezed between competing pressures, it is worth examining how other major tech hubs regulate working hours. According to reports, Europe-based venture capitalists and startups are having a heated debate over China’s 996 work culture. In Germany, the United Kingdom, and France, standard workweeks typically range from 33 to 48 hours. In Australia and Canada, the standard workweek is 38 and 40 hours, respectively, with mandatory overtime pay, offering a balance between labor rights and workplace flexibility.
In the United States, the Fair Labor Standards Act sets a standard 40-hour workweek. Non-exempt employees earn time-and-a-half for any overtime, and there is no limit on total hours. In California, the rules only require double-time pay for certain overtime. In China, the standard work schedule is also 40 hours per week, or 8 hours a day. Overtime is paid at higher rates, roughly 150 percent of regular pay on weekdays, 200 percent on weekends, and 300 percent on public holidays. In Japan, the standard workweek is 40 hours, with limits of 45 hours of overtime per month and 370 hours per year under normal circumstances. Employers who exceed these limits can face fines and administrative penalties, as in other countries.
Singapore’s workweek is slightly longer at 44 hours, with a maximum of 72 overtime hours per month. If spread evenly, that is roughly 62 hours per week. Overtime pay rates are similar, 1.5 times for weekdays, 2 times for rest days, and 3 times for public holidays. South Korea’s 52-hour cap sits in the middle of this spectrum, stricter than the United States and Singapore but more flexible than much of Europe. For deep tech founders competing globally, the question is not just about the number, but about whether rigid weekly limits can accommodate the intense, uneven workflows that characterize early-stage research and development.