SEOUL, March 16 (AJP) - SK hynix has surpassed Samsung Electronics as the most preferred employer among job seekers in South Korea.
Online job-search site Saramin said on Monday that it conducted a survey of over 2,000 job seekers and found that about 20 percent of them named SK hynix as their most sought-after employer.
It marks the first time Samsung Electronics has lost the top spot since similar surveys began in 2009. The electronics giant, which had long held a dominant lead, slipped to second place with 18.9 percent.
Automaker Hyundai Motor came in third at 7.9 percent, followed by Naver at 4 percent and Samsung C&T at 3 percent.
Saramin attributed the shift to the chipmaker's lucrative salary packages and record-breaking performance bonuses. High salaries and other perks have recently emerged as the decisive factor for job seekers. Among respondents hoping to land jobs at major conglomerates and tech and digital companies like Naver, "high salary" was cited as the most important reason for their preference.
Disparities in bonuses have become particularly stark. In 2025, SK hynix employees received bonuses equivalent to 150 percent of their annual salary. For an employee earning 100 million won ($68,212) annually, this meant an additional 150 million won in performance-related payments.
In contrast, Samsung Electronics' mobile division capped bonuses at 50 percent of annual salaries, while even its semiconductor division had a 100 percent bonus ceiling, despite strong sales performance.
The survey comes as both top rivals are in the midst of their first-half recruitment drives. Samsung affiliates are accepting job applications until Tuesday, while SK hynix is receiving applications for new hires next Monday.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.