One in Five Salaried Workers Earns Less Than 2 Million Won... Increase in Employment in Bars and Restaurants

As of the first half of this year, one in five wage workers received a monthly salary of less than 2 million won.

According to the '2023 First Half Regional Employment Survey - Characteristics of Employed Persons by Industry and Occupation' released by Statistics Korea on the 17th, the number of wage workers in the first half of this year (April) was 21.794 million, an increase of 288,000 from 21.506 million in the first half of last year.

The proportion of workers earning less than 1 million won per month was 9.1%, and those earning between 1 million and 2 million won accounted for 11.9%. The proportion of workers earning between 2 million and 3 million won was 33.7%. The shares of workers earning more than 4 million won and those earning between 3 million and 4 million won were 24% and 21.3%, respectively. These figures represent increases of 3.9 percentage points and 1.8 percentage points compared to the first half of last year.

The increase in workers earning more than 4 million won was largely influenced by a significant rise in the proportion of high earners in the manufacturing sector, which had the largest number of wage workers at 3.999 million. The share of workers earning more than 4 million won in manufacturing was 32.9%, up 6.2 percentage points from the first half of last year.

In the professional, scientific, and technical services sector and the finance and insurance sector, the proportions of workers earning more than 4 million won were 46.5% and 46.2%, respectively, which were relatively high compared to other sectors.

Job seekers participating in the '2023 Tourism Industry Job Fair' held on the 18th at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, are looking at the recruitment board. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

The proportion of workers earning more than 4 million won in these two sectors increased by 3.7 percentage points and 5.1 percentage points, respectively, compared to the first half of last year. In the health and social welfare services sector, only 9.4% of workers earned more than 4 million won. In the wholesale and retail trade sector, the figure was 18.8%.

The total number of employed persons, including wage workers, was 28.432 million in the first half of this year, an increase of 354,000 from 28.078 million in the first half of last year. Among employed persons, those aged 15-29 decreased by 137,000, and those aged 30-49 decreased by 7,000, while those aged 50 and over increased by 497,000.

By industry subcategory, restaurant workers were the largest group with 1.631 million (5.7%), an increase of 64,000 compared to the first half of last year.

Workers in 'non-residential welfare facility operation,' such as daytime elder care, numbered 1.436 million (5%), and crop cultivation workers numbered 1.373 million (4.8%), making them the second and third largest groups after restaurant workers. Among men, crop cultivation and restaurant work were the most common, while among women, non-residential welfare facility operation and restaurant work were the most common employment sectors.

By occupation subcategory, management-related clerks numbered 2.408 million (8.5%), the largest number of employed persons. Store sales workers numbered 1.625 million (5.7%), and crop cultivation workers numbered 1.313 million (4.6%).

By major field of study, graduates in education and health fields had a high proportion of employment in their respective fields. Among education majors, 53.3% were employed in the education services sector, while 62.6% of health majors found jobs in the health and social welfare services sector.