Wage Gap Between Regular and Non-Regular Workers Widens

Regular workers earn 4,052,000 won while non-regular workers earn 2,112,000 won. (Photo captured from MBC TV) The difference in the monthly average wage between regular and non-regular workers widened further to 1,940,000 won (about $1,464) this year, recording the largest gap ever. According to the ‘Results of the Supplementary Survey by Employment Type of the Economically Active Population Survey in August 2026’ announced by the National Data Agency on Oct. 21, the number of non-regular workers as of last August was 8,671,000, an increase of 103,000 from the same month a year ago, while the number of regular workers increased by 10,000 to 13,855,000. This means that the majority (103,000) of the increase in wage earners (113,000) were non-regular workers. The proportion of non-regular workers among the 22,526,000 wage earners was 38.5%, up 0.3%p from a year ago. This surpassed the previous high of August 2021 (38.4%), recording an all-time high. By age, the number of non-regular workers aged 60 and over increased by 135,000 to 3,180,000, and the proportion of those aged 60 and over among all non-regular workers was 36.7%, up 1.2%p from a year ago. Non-regular workers aged 70 and over increased by 85,000 to 1,290,000. This was 106,000 more than non-regular workers in their 40s (1,184,000). Non-regular workers in their 30s (39,000) and 50s (11,000) also increased, but decreased among those aged 29 and under (-64,000) and in their 40s (-20,000). Kim Rak-hyun, Director of the Employment Statistics Division at the National Data Agency, analyzed, “The youth aged 15 to 29 and those in their 40s are age groups with a declining population, so there is fundamentally an effect of decreasing employed persons,” and “The employment situation itself is difficult for the youth, which seems to have had some impact on the decrease in non-regular employed persons as well.” By employment type, fixed-term workers increased by 187,000 to 6,035,000, and part-time workers increased by 152,000 to 4,382,000. On the other hand, atypical workers decreased by 48,000 to 1,786,000. The proportion of part-time workers among all non-regular workers is 50.5%, the highest since the statistics were first compiled. Part-time workers are workers whose prescribed working hours are shorter, even by one hour, than those of workers doing the same kind of work at the same workplace. By gender, female non-regular workers increased by 46,000 to 4,963,000, and male non-regular workers increased by 57,000 to 3,708,000. The proportion of women was 57.2%, down 0.2%p. The monthly average wage of non-regular workers for the recent three months (June to August) was 2,112,000 won, an increase of 24,000 won from last year. Regular workers saw an increase of 156,000 won to 4,052,000 won. It is the first time that the monthly average wage of regular workers has exceeded 4,000,000 won. The wages of both groups are at their highest levels since the statistics were first compiled in 2004, but the gap widened by 132,000 won from 1,808,000 won last year to 1,940,000 won this year as the increase for regular workers was larger. The ratio of the wages of non-regular workers to regular workers was 52.1%, down 1.5%p from last year (53.6%). Director Kim Rak-hyun interpreted, “Part-time work is not full-time work, so the wage level is low,” and “The fact that the number of elderly workers aged 60 and over increased among non-regular workers also has an impact.” The monthly average wage of non-regular workers excluding part-time workers was 3,098,000 won, an increase of 61,000 won. In this case, the difference from regular workers was 954,000 won, which was 76.5% of the level of regular workers. The monthly average wage of all wage earners was 3,305,000 won, an increase of 100,000 won from a year ago.