The civic group Gabjil 119 said 80.4 percent of respondents to a poll conducted between June 1 and 7 said such discrimination was present.
The survey, carried out by Global Research, canvassed 1,000 workers nationwide aged 19 and older. Temporary workers, at 84.6 percent, and those in their 50s, at 86.5 percent, were the most likely to perceive bias.
Awareness of discrimination climbed steadily with age, rising from 72.1 percent among workers in their 20s to 79.8 percent for those in their 40s, suggesting the perception sharpens as careers lengthen.
Nearly half of respondents, or 48.4 percent, doubted that a government "fairness allowance" could close the wage gap.
About two-thirds, or 65.6 percent, said fixed-term workers could not freely exercise legal entitlements such as maternity and parental leave or the reporting of workplace harassment, while 64.2 percent said they could not join or form a union without repercussions.
Gabjil 119 said its counseling hotline had fielded numerous complaints, including verbal abuse over a worker's appearance or alma mater, threats not to renew contracts, and denials of maternity leave.
"Discrimination against fixed-term workers is not merely a wage-gap issue but a structural problem that makes it hard for workers to assert their rights," the group said.
The organization urged the government to scrap a proposed special act on so-called mega special zones that would extend the maximum period for hiring fixed-term workers to four years from the current two, a measure it argued would entrench precarious employment.
AJP Takeaways
• In a survey of 1,000 South Korean workers conducted in June 2026, 80.4 percent said discrimination exists between fixed-term and permanent employees, with temporary workers and those in their 50s reporting the highest awareness.
• About two-thirds of respondents said fixed-term workers cannot freely exercise legal rights such as maternity leave, parental leave, or union membership, which Gabjil 119 described as a structural barrier rather than a simple wage gap.
• Gabjil 119 called on the government to withdraw the proposed Special Act on the Designation and Management of Mega Special Zones, which would extend the maximum fixed-term employment period to four years from two — a measure the Labor Ministry outlined to ruling-party lawmakers in late July 2026 but has not yet finalized as legislation.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.