Labor ministry to inspect 100 workplaces over youth overtime abuses

South Korea's labor ministry said Tuesday it will begin on-site inspections of 100 workplaces nationwide from that day, targeting long working hours and unpaid overtime among young employees at companies that hire large numbers of them.

It will also examine whether workplaces that repeatedly use special overtime permits are properly protecting workers' health, the Ministry of Employment and Labor said.

The inspection follows criticism at the National Assembly's audit of the ministry on Oct. 13, where lawmakers raised unpaid allowances and routine excess overtime for young workers.

Companies in sectors with a high share of young workers, including information and communications, professional and scientific services, accommodation and food services, and wholesale and retail, will be checked for compliance with statutory limits on working hours and for correct payment of overtime, night and holiday allowances. The ministry plans intensive checks on businesses in Seongsu-dong in Seoul's Seongdong District, the area named during the parliamentary audit as a focus of complaints about long hours and unpaid overtime among young workers.

For workplaces that repeatedly use special overtime permits, the ministry will conduct joint inspections with industrial safety officials, checking whether approved hours are being observed and whether health protection measures are in place.

Violations of labor standards and industrial safety rules found during the inspections will be met with corrective orders, fines and criminal referrals, the ministry said. It will also encourage employers to cut long hours by overhauling working-time management and shift systems.

Official data show average annual hours worked by wage employees falling steadily, from 2,058 in 2015 to 1,928 in 2021, 1,859 in 2024 and 1,846 in 2025. The ministry nonetheless said long hours and unpaid overtime persist at some workplaces.

"It is important to create a working environment where people are fairly compensated for the work they do and can work healthily while getting enough rest," Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon said. "We will work to improve unreasonable labor practices such as long working hours and unpaid overtime for young workers and to ensure their health and safety."