In a joint press conference in Seoul, workers from the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) made the demand, arguing that wages have lagged behind inflation over the past three years.
They pointed out that the average minimum wage rose just 2.37 percent over the past three years from 2023 to 2025, compared with the average inflation rate of 2.66 percent, resulting in a decline in real wages for low-income workers. They added that the current minimum wage does not adequately reflect the cost of living.
Their demand comes after a committee led by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, consisting of labor, employer and government representatives, has been holding talks since April to decide next year's minimum wage.
The committee is required to reach a final decision within 90 days of the labor minister's request for a review, which falls on June 29 this year, although the deadline is largely advisory and, in practice, decisions are often delayed until mid-July due to differences between labor and business groups.
But tough confrontations are expected, as business groups are likely to push for a freeze or a smaller increase amid a prolonged economic slowdown.
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