Samsung Electronics’ system LSI division has faced challenges meeting project deadlines due to South Korea’s 52-hour workweek limit, often forcing employees to leave tasks unfinished to comply with the regulations.
“There have been many times in recent years when I had to leave work unfinished and go home because of the 52-hour limit, even though a project deadline was approaching,” said a senior engineer at Samsung’s mobile application (AP) development team. “Because of this, some key employees sometimes work off the clock, so their extra hours aren’t recorded by the company.”
This AP team, tasked with chip development to compete with overseas giants like Apple, Qualcomm, and MediaTek, operates with a workforce reportedly 10 to 20 times smaller than that of rivals, adding pressure to complete projects on time.
Some critics argue that SK Hynix, which also adheres to the 52-hour workweek, remains competitive, but Samsung’s operations extend beyond memory semiconductors to system semiconductor design and foundry services. These areas involve customized client orders and significant investments in time and workforce to compete with global leaders.
According to industry sources, debates around the effectiveness of S. Korea’s 52-hour workweek have resurfaced among lawmakers and business leaders. Samsung, needing to supply chips promptly at customer request and to make quick adjustments to designs and manufacturing processes, sees the current labor law as a hindrance in competing against international chipmakers.
As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the semiconductor industry, Samsung is working to reclaim its foundational competitive edge by pivoting from standardized memory chip production to new task forces, organizational restructuring, and workforce adjustments. Earlier, Samsung Electronics DS Division head Jun Young-hyun identified the company’s crisis recovery plan as centered on core technological competitiveness, future preparedness, and innovative changes to corporate culture and work methods.
Within Samsung, the 52-hour workweek policy remains a source of controversy. Some employees argue that merely extending work hours will not lead to corporate innovation.
However, senior researchers contend that the policy serves as a restrictive barrier to Samsung’s pursuit of its “super-gap” strategy—a long-term goal aimed at creating a wide competitive lead over global rivals by consistently achieving breakthroughs in technology and efficiency. This strategy requires substantial time and resource investment, which the current work-hour limits hinder, preventing the company from fully maximizing its competitive potential.
Samsung’s internal employment rules specify that semiconductor R&D teams operate under a one-month flexible work system, requiring an average 52-hour workweek over the month rather than weekly. Non-compliance triggers immediate intervention from HR, enforcing work suspensions. Consequently, some employees have resorted to “off-the-record” work to meet clients’ product delivery schedules and performance standards.
Meanwhile, in contrast to the Samsung’s memory division, which is structured around high-volume production, the system LSI and foundry businesses depend heavily on skilled engineers and sufficient staffing.
The company’s foundry team, competing with Taiwan’s TSMC, must consistently meet tight project deadlines to supply smartphone manufacturers with new chips every six to twelve months. Additionally, the Samsung’s foundry division needs specialized staff to promptly respond to requests from U.S. and European technology companies concentrated in advanced processes.
