Minimum Wage Set at W4,000 Per Hour
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
From 2009, the minimum wage will be set at 4,000 won an hour, a 6.1 percent gain from this year.
The Labor Ministry announced Tuesday a fixed minimum wage of 32,000 won a day for an eight hour day. About 2.08 million workers, or 13.1 percent of the total working population, will receive this amount, the ministry added.
The minimum wage does not include incentives or bonuses. Employers will not be allowed to cut salaries of those who are receiving more than the minimum because of the new rule, the ministry said.