National Assembly Library Disclosure Through Various Countries' Cases
Steady Increase Around 12.5 Million Won Since 2018
It was investigated that members of the National Assembly receive an average of 13.08 million KRW per month in allowances, irregular bonuses, and expenses.
According to the "Overview of Members of Parliament in Major Countries" released by the National Assembly Library on the 7th, our National Assembly members receive an average of 156.9 million KRW annually through allowances and bonuses paid on the 20th of each month. The allowances, including management duty allowances and meal expenses, amount to 7.86 million KRW per month, with an additional 3.14 million KRW for legislative activity expenses and 780,000 KRW for special activity expenses (reduced if absent from the National Assembly). Additionally, they receive a seniority allowance of 7.08 million KRW annually, paid in two halves in January and July, and holiday vacation expenses totaling 8.5 million KRW annually, split between Lunar New Year and Chuseok.
On the 29th, the last day of the 21st National Assembly's term, a banner congratulating the opening of the 22nd National Assembly is hung at the main building of the National Assembly. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
The monthly allowance for National Assembly members was about 12.5 million KRW in 2018 but has steadily increased to the current level.
Moreover, members can receive support for office operation, legislative and policy development expenses, aides, and travel expenses. They can receive 6.19 million KRW annually for office operation costs, 950,000 KRW monthly for public utility bills, and 3.48 million KRW annually for business promotion expenses.
In addition, they can receive 25.46 million KRW annually for legislative and policy development expenses, an average of 7.55 million KRW per year for policy material mailing costs, and 12 million KRW annually for policy material publication and member policy promotional printing costs. These legislative and policy development expenses are provided on a reimbursement basis after application by the member's office.
Members can also employ up to eight aides. Each member can hire two level-4 equivalent aides, two level-5 equivalent senior secretaries, and one secretary each at levels 6, 7, 8, and 9. This size of the aide staff is larger compared to countries like Germany and Japan, where about three aides can be employed, but smaller than in the United States, where House members can have 18 full-time staff (Senators can have 35).
Member vehicles are also supported. Monthly fuel costs of 1.1 million KRW and maintenance costs of 358,000 KRW (1 million KRW for committee chairs) are provided. Official travel expenses are reimbursed upon application, with an average annual amount of 10.39 million KRW.
However, compared to overseas cases, the salaries of domestic members are not significantly higher than those of other major countries. According to the National Assembly Library, members of the U.S. Congress receive 174,000 USD (234.49 million KRW) annually, UK House of Commons members receive 91,346 GBP (161.4 million KRW), German Bundestag members receive 127,092 EUR (187.81 million KRW), French National Assembly members receive 91,658 EUR (135.48 million KRW), and Japanese Diet members receive 15.53 million JPY (140.94 million KRW) per year.
Lee Myung-woo, director of the National Assembly Library, stated in the foreword, "Members of the National Assembly, elected as representatives of the people, hold the constitutional authority to legislate and the power to oversee and check other state powers. They play a crucial role in deciding the nation's future on behalf of the people, and thus the public expects a high level of ethical awareness and morality from them."
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