Office workers are out for lunch in central Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

Salaried workers get off from work 19 minutes earlier in 2024 compared to five years ago, after maximum weekly work hours were reduced to 52 from 68 by the law, data showed Wednesday.

The data from KB Kookmin Card also showed employees go home earlier, as the COVID-19 pandemic transformed the rigid workplace culture and after-work gatherings have become less common.

The finding came after KB Kookmin Card analyzed when commuters using its credit cards and debit cards took subways during closing hours of five populated business and industrial districts.

The five areas were Gwanghwamun, Gangnam, Yeouido and Guro — all of them in Seoul — plus Pangyo in Gyeonggi Province.

The card firm said commuters took the subway at 6:28 p.m. on average from January to August, 19 minutes earlier than 6:47 p.m. on average over the same period in 2019.

By area, commuters in Guro took the subway 21 minutes earlier than five years ago. The time was reduced by 20 minutes in each Gwanghwamun and Gangnam, 17 minutes in Pangyo and 14 minutes in Yeouido.

The company noted salaried workers in the industrial district of Guro got off from work at 6:20 p.m. this year, leaving earlier than those in the four other districts.

Regarding how they do after work, KB Kookmin Card said they spent 86,000 won ($63.14) on average per month this year for leisure activities, up from 14,000 won in 2019.

The average monthly amount spent to eat increased by 15 percent over the cited period to 127,000 won.

"The data offers a glimpse into a changing pattern in life after work as they got off from work earlier," the company noted.

The country adopted a 52-hour workweek system in 2018 after facing public outcry to improve workers' work-life balance against long working hours and heavy workloads.

After-work gatherings, which often include booze, were unwelcomed by employees as they had to spend time with their managers after work hours.