Workers in Seoul, south Korea, demand passage of legislation for a five-day, 40-hour workweek. Under pressure from unionists and other workers, the government has introduced a bill that would reduce the official workweek by 10 percent. Under this measure, however, the changes, starting in July 2003 with workplaces of 1,000 workers or more, would take years to implement. The official workweek in south Korea today is 44 hours, and many are forced to work much longer. Representatives of big business have resisted workers’ demands, complaining that the legislation is "premature."  
 
 
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