The number of non-regular workers — temporary and contract workers — in South Korea reached an all-time high this year, while the monthly pay gap with regular employees widened to 1.94 million won, the largest on record.
The National Data Agency released the findings on the 21st in its supplementary survey on employment types from the August 2026 economically active population survey.
Non-regular workers totaled 8.671 million as of August, up 103,000 from a year earlier. That is the highest level since the data series began in 2003, marking a third consecutive annual increase since 2024.
Non-regular workers accounted for 38.5% of the country's 22.526 million wage earners, up 0.3 percentage points from a year earlier. The share surpassed the previous high of 38.4% recorded in August 2021.
Health and social welfare services employed the most non-regular workers, at 1.867 million, or 21.5% of the total.
Non-regular workers earned an average of 2.112 million won a month over the three months from June through August, up 24,000 won from a year earlier.
Regular employees earned 4.052 million won, an increase of 156,000 won. It was the first time their average monthly pay exceeded 4 million won.
Pay for both groups was the highest since the data series began in 2004, but the faster gain for regular employees widened the gap to 1.94 million won from 1.808 million won a year earlier, an increase of 132,000 won.
Non-regular workers earned 52.1% of what regular employees made, down 1.5 percentage points from 53.6% a year earlier.
Excluding part-time workers, non-regular workers earned an average of 3.098 million won a month, up 61,000 won. Their pay gap with regular employees was 954,000 won.