Personnel Office Reviews Additional Raise for Low-Rank Employees
3.5% More Increase on Common Portion of Grade 9 Step 1 This Year
Youth Public Officials Leaving Due to Lower Salaries Compared to Private Sector
The government has decided to raise civil servant salaries by 3% in next year's budget, and is considering applying an additional increase rate specifically for lower-ranking civil servants whose wages are relatively low. The civil servants' union, which initially recommended a higher raise, plans to demand that allowances and other benefits be increased by the difference from the government's proposal.
According to the civil servants' union and the Ministry of Personnel Management on the 13th, the Ministry has begun reviewing whether to apply an additional basic salary increase for lower-ranking civil servants. The final decision is expected to be made by the end of the year when the budget is finalized. This year as well, to prevent the outflow of lower-ranking civil servants, the Ministry additionally raised the basic salary for grades 7 to 9 civil servants. The method was to add a certain percentage increase by step within grades 7 to 9 on top of the common 2.5% raise. For example, for grade 9, step 1, the total increase was about 6%, combining the common 2.5% raise and an additional 3.5% increase.
The government stated that it is reviewing all matters, including expanding the scope of 'lower-ranking' civil servants. When asked whether the scope of additional increases will be expanded next year compared to this year, when the target was grades 7 to 9 civil servants, a Ministry of Personnel Management official replied, "We are reviewing all matters with an open mind."
Previously, the Civil Servants' Salary Committee (Gongbowi), composed of the union, government, and experts, recommended a raise of 2.5% for civil servants grade 5 and above, and 3.3% for those grade 6 and below this year. While the civil servants' union criticized the government's 3.0% raise plan for ignoring the committee's recommendation, it also expressed willingness to discuss with the Ministry of Personnel Management additional basic salary increases for lower-ranking civil servants and adjustments to allowances such as longevity pay by the end of the year. A representative of the National Civil Servants' Union said, "We plan to demand that the portion of the raise that is less than the committee's recommendation be compensated through other position allowances or additional increases for lower-ranking civil servants."
The reason both the union and government are focused on raising wages for lower-ranking civil servants is that the relatively low pay compared to the private sector is leading to an 'exodus' of young civil servants. According to data submitted by local governments and others to Rep. Park Jeong-hyun of the Democratic Party of Korea during the National Assembly audit, the number of civil servants who resigned within less than three years of service increased annually: 7,462 in 2021, 8,492 in 2022, and 8,773 in 2023. Last year, the civil servant pay level compared to the private sector was 83.1%, marking the lowest point since 2000.
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