Starting on Friday, South Korean businesses are authorized to extend work hours from the 52-hour workweek under special circumstances, such as temporary increases in workload.

Last month, the Labor Ministry said it would ease the standard on special circumstances for the work hour extension to include safety-related emergency situations, those involving facility and equipment-related issues and temporary increases in workload.

Employers were previously only allowed to seek authorization for work hour extensions as emergency measures in coping with natural disasters and related damages.

In order to extend work hours, businesses will have to seek agreement with workers and approval from the Labor Ministry.

The ministry said the extended hours shouldn't exceed 12 hours per week, and even if special permission is granted for more than that, the extended period shouldn't be longer than two weeks.

Seoul eased the standard amid prolonged political wrangling over the passage of a bill aimed at doubling the flexible work-hour system from the current three months to a maximum of six months.