Male workers in their 40s were under the most work-related stress among all age and gender groups in South Korea, while work itself was the largest source of their stress in 2014, a report showed Wednesday.

According to the report based on a survey of 195,666 workers who underwent physical examinations at Seoul's Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, 68.1 percent of men in their 40s said they suffered from work-related stress, while 67.5 percent of those in their 30s also noted having similar problems.

Those in their 50s, presumably in higher work positions than their younger peers, were the least stressed group with 56.9 percent of them complaining about work-related stress, while 59.9 percent of those in their 20s said they had problems with stress.

For females, on the other hand, the younger the worker was, the more they were exposed to work-related stress, the report showed.

The highest ratio of 58.6 percent of those in their 20s said they suffered from work-related stress, while 56.5 percent and 49.0 percent of those in their 30s and 40s, respectively, acknowledged having the same problems.

Less than four out of every 10 female workers in their 50s had such problems, according to the survey.

As to the source of stress at their workplaces, 61.7 percent of all respondents said the work itself provided stressful experiences, while 16.6 percent cited personal relationships with others at work as a major source of stress.

Other sources of stress included economic issues, such as income, as well as repetitive daily routines and health problems, the report said. (Yonhap)