More than 1 in 10 Korean workers underpaid: data

Published : Dec 17, 2017 - 16:24 Updated : Dec 17, 2017 - 16:24

More than 1 out of 10 South Korean workers were paid below the minimum wage in 2016, with many being teenagers, elderly or female workers, government data showed Sunday.

Out of 19.62 million workers, 2.66 million, or 13.6 percent, were paid below the minimum wage as of August 2016, up from 1.89 million in 2007, Statistics Korea said.

The ratio of the underpaid workers stood at 4.9 percent in 2003, but the level has steadily risen to over 10 percent over the past decade, the national statistics office said.

(Yonhap)

The minimum wage has increased from 2,275 won ($2.09) per hour in 2003 to 6,470 won this year.

A higher ratio of workers aged below 20 or over 60, females and irregular employees were relatively less paid by their employers.

More than half of the employees aged 15-19 worked for less than the minimum wage. Among those over 60 years old, 33.6 percent of male workers and 51.3 percent of females were underpaid.

The employment status was a major factor deciding the wage level.

Only 7.1 percent of regular workers received below the legal minimum, while the corresponding figure for irregular workers amounted to 26.9 percent.

The national minimum wage is set to rise 16.4 percent to 7,530 won per hour in January, marking the sharpest hike since 2001, under President Moon Jae-in's "income-led growth" initiative. (Yonhap)