South Korea — Avg annual hours worked per worker

## What this measures

Average annual hours worked per person engaged in production in South Korea. The series counts hours across all workers in the economy, including employees and self-employed.

## Why it matters

Hours worked per worker reflect the intensity of labor use in an economy and help separate productivity growth from labor input growth. For organizations with operations or supply chains in South Korea, changes in working hours signal shifts in labor supply, wage pressure, or regulatory constraints. A sustained fall may indicate tighter labor markets or policy changes that raise labor costs per unit of output.

## How to read it

Higher values mean more hours worked per person per year; lower values mean fewer. A fall can indicate reduced labor supply, shorter work weeks, or increased part-time employment. Compare across years to identify long-run trends in labor intensity or across countries to assess relative labor input.

## What it does not say

The series does not distinguish between voluntary and involuntary changes in hours, does not capture shifts in workforce composition, and does not indicate whether hours are spread across more workers or concentrated in fewer. It does not measure labor quality, skill, or the efficiency of hours worked.

## Source

Penn World Table is published every two to three years by the Groningen Growth and Development Centre. Palanor loads each release.