South Korea has ranked 31st out of 60 wealthy nations in the Global Life-Work Balance Index 2025, published by global HR platform Remote.

The index evaluates countries across categories such as annual leave, sick pay, maternity leave, minimum wage and healthcare systems. Korea’s ranking marks a five-spot improvement from the previous year.

Notable gains were seen in minimum wage, average weekly working hours – which fell to 37.9 from 38.58 – and LGBTQ+ inclusivity, which rose by 6 points. However, the country scored relatively low in areas such as sick leave, paid maternity leave and safety, which negatively affected its overall standing.

As in previous years, European countries dominated the top of the list. New Zealand ranked first, followed by Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Norway and Denmark. Among other Asian countries, Japan ranked 29th and China 52nd.

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