One out of four workers prefers doing something more productive during lunch time than just eating, according to a survey.

In a research conducted by Saramin, an online recruitment website in Korea, about quarter of participants said they were “lunch tourists.” The term refers to those who spend lunch break just for themselves, rather than having a long meal or interacting with colleagues.

Out of the lunch tourists, 34.8 percent worked at state-owned companies, 28.6 percent at international corporations, and 23.4 percent at conglomerate, followed by small-medium enterprises.

They preferred this because they wanted to make the most of their free time. Other answers included "for self-satisfaction," "to ease stress," or "to get out of office."

About 38.7 percent read books or enjoyed their hobbies during lunch. Another 27.7 percent visited banks while 13.1 percent exercised. Some even concentrated on stock investment or took online lectures.

Some 1,165 workers participated in the survey and respondents were allowed to choose more than one answer.

A spokesman of Saramin said “fifteen minutes a day is 100 hours a year,” and added that making the most out of that time is a “wise investment for oneself.”

By Kang Yoon-seung
(koreacolin@gmail.com)
Intern reporter