Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Work, Sleep, and Play: Korea vs U.S. vs Germany

Chosun Ilbo

When compared to Americans or Germans, South Koreans, work more and sleep less, often caught between work and family.

This is the result of a comprehensive analysis of the 2004 Time Use Survey notes The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the National Statistical Office.

The average amount of hours Koreans between the ages of 20 and 74 spend working, is 4 hours 57 minutes, which is almost 2 hours more than the 3 hours 39 minutes Americans spend, and the 2hours 53 minutes of Germans.

Furthermore, the average amount of time Koreans sleep is 7 hours 44 minutes, compared with 8 hours 34 minutes of Americans and 8 hours 15 minutes of Germans.

Koreans in their 20's or older spend an average of 13 minutes a day learning foreign languages, computers or hobby-related study, which falls short of even half the 29 minutes of Americans or 16 minutes of Germans.

By age group, Koreans between 15 and 24 years of age, devote the greatest amount of time to study with 5 hours 19 minutes, which is over twice the 2 hours 09 minutes of Americans and 1 hour 53 minutes of Germans.

The survey analysis attributes this to the fierce competition for college and workplace entry.

On the other hand, Koreans spend much less time on self-development once they secure a job, with those between 25 and 44 years of age, spending an average of 8 minutes for self-development, which is much shorter than the 10 and 18 minutes of their American and German counterparts.

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