Statistics Bureau Compares Korea with Other Countries

Korean blue-collar workers clock eight to ten hours more than their counterparts in most advanced nations.

An August 8 report by the National Statistical Office made comparisons between and analyses of certain characteristics of different nations.

Statisticians found that domestic workers put in 50 hours of work per week. This figure far exceeds that of Japanese workers, who average 42.7 hours, and U.S. workers, with 41.7.

Korean's hours worked decreased steadily from 1995, when they averaged 49.2 hours, to 1998, when they averaged 46.1. Workers are toiling longer hours since the national economic recovery, however.

The study found that nearly 50 percent of Koreans own a cell phone. Koreans rank sixth internationally in that category. Finland has the most cell phone users per capita, at 66 percent. Norway is next with 62 percent, Sweden has 58 percent, Hong Kong 55 and Italy 53.

Those killed by fatal car accidents worldwide in 1998 numbered 111 per 1 million. Korea recorded an average of 193 per million. The three countries with the dubious distinction of leading Korea in this category are Malaysia, with 268 killed per million, Greece with 210, and Portugal with 193.

Korea last year consumed 182 million tons of oil, ranking tenth among all countries, and using 2.1 percent of worldwide energy consumption.

by Seoh Kyung-ho