By Kim Jae-won
Staff Reporter
The number of people receiving paychecks of more than 100 million won per year topped the 100,000 mark last year for the first time, the nation's tax agency said Tuesday.
In its 2009 yearbook, the National Tax Service (NTS) said a total of 106,673 people, 0.76 percent of the 14 million total salaried workers, earned more than 100 million won in 2008.
The number has increased for two consecutive years since 2006. In that year, 83,844 workers or 0.67 percent joined the rich club. It also increased 0.02 percent to 92,156 in 2007.
The agency also said that people's perception of a lifelong job has changed with many switching jobs for better pay and benefits.
Nine of 10 retirees had worked less than five years at the same workplace. A total of 86.7 percent of 2.2 million retirees had not worked more than five years at the same company in 2008, the NTS said.
The number of people changing jobs has been on a steady rise for the last five years. In 2003, 80.6 percent or 1.3 million workers quit their jobs or moved to other workplaces after less than five years, but it increased to 84.6 percent or 1.9 million persons three years later. In 2007, it rose slightly to 86 percent or 2.1 million retirees.
Analysts cited a changing culture as the main reason for rising turnover.
"Now, it has become normal in Korea to move to other companies based on salary and working conditions," said Jung Ju-hee, a spokeswoman of Job Korea.
"Employees who have worked at a firm for three to five years are the group that most want to switch companies for better conditions," she added.
Some analysts argued that it is largely due to the changed concept of layoff.
"Layoffs are becoming more common in Korea due to the recession," the NTS said in the report.
Many people in their 20s and 30s are applying to professional graduate schools, such as law, medical and business administration to try and get stable jobs, which can guarantee lifelong income and welfare.
"Many office workers are trying to become lawyers to achieve more professional and stable jobs. Most of them are in their 30s and they make up approximately 20 to 30 percent of total applicants," said Lee Min-hye, manager of Mega Law School, a private institution for law school applicants.