A government survey shows the amount of overtime required of employees at South Korea’s large-sized manufacturers has dropped since last year's implementation of the 52-hour workweek system. 

The Ministry of Employment and Labor said on Tuesday that those hired by manufacturing firms with at least 300 employees reported an average overtime of 19-point-two hours per person in February, zero-point-two hours less than the same time last year. 

The 52-hour workweek system was put in place last July beginning with companies with 300 workers or more. 

The decline in overtime was particularly notable at companies that were previously criticized for demanding excessive overtime duties, including producers of rubber and plastic products, which reported nine-point-six hours less overtime than February of last year. 

Overtime at manufacturers of beverage products also dropped by eight hours, followed by food makers at seven-point-six hours.