KCCI "Disappointed by Minimum Wage Freeze and No Differential Application"

2025 Minimum Wage Set at 10,030 Won per Hour

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Korea Employers Federation expressed regret that the minimum wage for next year was not frozen and was raised to over 10,000 won per hour. They also expressed disappointment that the partial sector-specific application was scrapped.

On the 12th, the Federation stated, "Considering the desperate situation faced by small and micro enterprises and small business owners, the minimum wage should have been frozen, and it is very regrettable that, as employer representatives, we could not reflect this." They added, "We deeply regret that the appeal to apply sector-specific minimum wages only to some industries that find it difficult to accept the minimum wage was not accepted."

On the same day, the Minimum Wage Commission set the minimum wage for next year at 10,030 won per hour, a 1.7% increase compared to this year. This was the final proposal presented by the employer representatives within the range of the deliberation promotion interval (10,000 to 10,290 won) requested by the public interest commissioners.

The Federation argued, "Now, the government and the National Assembly should more actively implement income support policies for vulnerable groups, such as easing the management burden for micro and small enterprises and small business owners and expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)." They also emphasized, "Furthermore, practical measures need to be prepared to implement sector-specific application of the minimum wage to improve its acceptability."