청, 아쉬움 over Minimum Wage 10,000 Won Failure: "Due to COVID-19 Quarantine Situation"

Next Year's Final Minimum Wage of Moon Jae-in Government 9,160 Won... Reserved Comments on Disaster Relief Fund Discussions, "Time for the National Assembly"

[Asia Economy reporters Ryu Jeong-min and Lee Ji-eun] The Blue House expressed regret over the Moon Jae-in administration's final minimum wage being set at 9,160 won, failing to fulfill the '10,000 won pledge.' Due to COVID-19 issues, it was difficult to set a high minimum wage increase rate for two consecutive years, ultimately meaning the promise of a 10,000 won minimum wage was not kept.

A Blue House official said on the 13th, "It was difficult to achieve (the 10,000 won minimum wage) due to COVID-19 and quarantine situations, and there are regrets about this."

Earlier, the Minimum Wage Commission decided on the 12th that next year's minimum wage would be 9,160 won per hour. This is a 5.1% increase from this year's 8,720 won. The 10,000 won minimum wage that the Moon administration pursued early in its term was not achieved.

View of the Blue House from Namsan, Seoul on the 11th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

The reason the Blue House focuses on the minimum wage increase is the perception that it is the foundation for inclusive growth. President Moon also explained in his speech at the International Labour Organization (ILO) ‘World of Work Summit’ on the 17th of last month that "(The Korean government) boldly raised the minimum wage to pursue inclusive growth, including income-led growth." However, President Moon's plan faced limitations intertwined with the variable of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Blue House has stated it will observe the National Assembly's discussions regarding the ruling and opposition leaders' agreement on providing ‘universal disaster relief payments.’ Although Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, agreed on the 12th to expand the scope of disaster relief payments to all citizens, internal opposition and difficulties continue.

A senior Blue House official said, "Now is the time for the National Assembly." The government has prepared a proposal and submitted it to the National Assembly, and deliberations are ongoing at the Budget and Accounts Committee level, so they will observe the discussion process.

The senior Blue House official added, "During the Budget and Accounts Committee deliberations, new opinions may be gathered from both ruling and opposition parties, and the National Assembly's revised bill may be created, or (with the National Assembly's consensus) a government revision may be made."

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