Semiconductor Engineering Society Calls for Urgent Reform of 52-Hour Workweek for R&D Staff

▲ Researchers engage in research activities at a semiconductor fab at the Nano Technology Institute in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, on June 30.

The Korean Institute of Semiconductor Engineering has urged that improvements to the 52-hour workweek system for research and development (R&D) personnel must be implemented, taking advantage of the government's enactment of the special act for mega special zones.

In a statement regarding the exemption of R&D workers from the 52-hour workweek on the 7th, the society stated, "Applying a uniform and rigid 52-hour workweek to R&D positions can be a factor that undermines the technological competitiveness of South Korea's semiconductor industry."

It also explained, "R&D outcomes are not simply proportional to the time spent staying at the company," adding, "While some people need to conduct research over a long breath, others need to exercise a high level of concentration for a short period and take sufficient rest."

The society also pointed out the need for fair evaluation and compensation corresponding to continuous labor.

"For such a flexible system to be effective, managers must evaluate work based on 'performance' rather than 'working hours,'" the society suggested, adding, "Since performance-oriented evaluation can be a major challenge and burden for R&D workers, appropriate compensation corresponding to it must surely follow."

Along with meticulous attention to workers' health management, it also raised the necessity of regulatory relaxation to increase labor market flexibility so that workers can freely change jobs if sufficient compensation and support are not provided.

The society warned, "Although South Korea is enjoying a boom in memory semiconductors, this was not achieved because we did exceptionally well or because the current system is good," adding, "If we become complacent about the current boom and maintain a rigid working hours system, countries with better R&D environments such as the United States and China will soon chase and overtake us even in the memory semiconductor sector."

At the same time, it emphasized, "To widen the memory technology gap further and expand our competitiveness into system semiconductors, we must transition to a system that can fully unleash the creativity of R&D workers, and now is the exact right time."

(Photo: Yonhap News)

※