Gyeongnam Province to Raise Living Wage by 3% Next Year ... 11,021 Won per Hour

Expansion of Coverage to Include Government-Funded Workers

Gyeongnam Provincial Government. / Photo by Se-ryeong Lee ryeong@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] Gyeongsangnam-do has finalized and announced the 2023 living wage at 11,021 KRW per hour.

According to Gyeongnam Province on the 17th, this is a 3% increase from this year's living wage of 10,700 KRW.

It is 1,401 KRW, or 14.6%, higher than the 2023 statutory minimum wage of 9,620 KRW.

The "living wage" is a wage determined by considering household expenses and minimum wage so that workers can maintain their dignity as human beings and lead a practical life in various fields such as education and culture.

Since its initial introduction in 2020, Gyeongnam Province has decided the living wage amount for the following year by reflecting the deliberation results of the Living Wage Committee every year.

An official from the province explained, "If the living wage applies to workers who work the statutory labor hours of 209 hours, they will receive 2,303,389 KRW per month."

The province announced that to deliberate the living wage for next year, the Living Wage Committee was held on the 4th with members from various fields including labor, management, experts, and representatives of investment and foundation institutions.

At the meeting, the members agreed on the purpose of the living wage and selected the 2023 Gyeongsangnam-do living wage amount and applicable subjects through discussion and consensus.

They decided to expand the application to government-funded workers who had been excluded from the living wage target until now, starting next year.

Accordingly, workers affiliated with Gyeongsangnam-do and its investment and foundation institutions will be subject to the 2023 living wage from January 1 next year.

Choi Bangnam, Head of Labor-Management Coexistence Division, said, "Since the number of beneficiaries of the living wage will expand next year, more workers' livelihoods will stabilize and their quality of life will improve," adding, "We will continue to promote various policy supports so that Gyeongnam can be a place where labor is respected."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.