A South Korean software company has found a way to help people appear to be hard at work while they are actually playing computer games at their desks.

　　Software maker CCR has developed a system by which workers can play card games with icons planted at the bottom of the screen. The icons look like short-cut keys on a tool bar.

　　While a worker is busy playing by clicking what appear to be normal icons, all a passing boss can see on the screen is pressing work.

　　CCR said it has applied for a patent for the technology and it wants to develop more games that will allow workers to play on the sly. The company is looking to take its technology overseas.

　　Another software maker, Nexon, has developed a system for an on-line racing game that allows workers to shrink the window on which they are playing a game to a barely noticeable size with the push of a button.

　　"With a push of the F11 key, users can control the size," said Koo Gi-hyang, a Nexon official.

　　(Reuters)