The Tribune’s opinion piece on the 52-hour workweek certainly brought up important points regarding the unique needs of industries like semiconductor R&D and the potential limitations of rigid workweek restrictions. It effectively highlighted the desire for greater flexibility to maintain competitiveness. However, it also made me consider the significant challenges involved. What wasn’t fully explored was how this flexibility could be implemented without potentially undermining crucial worker protections or defining clear safeguards. The piece captured the core tension well, but it left me thinking about the complexities of ensuring fairness and preventing burnout if such industry-specific adjustments were made. It’s clear that finding the right balance requires very careful thought.

By Jin Won-seok, Senior, Dept. of English Language and Literature