What did Hyundai Motor workers approve in the 2026 wage deal?

They approved a wage agreement that raises monthly base pay by 100,000 won. The deal also includes performance bonuses equivalent to 400 percent of monthly wages and 12.7 million won in cash.

Why did Hyundai Motor’s wage talks matter to production in Ulsan?

The union said the strikes led to about 120 hours of production disruptions. It also estimated cumulative losses of around 55,200 vehicles and lost sales exceeding 2.3 trillion won.

What happened to Hyundai Motor’s retirement age in the wage agreement?

The two sides agreed to extend the retirement age from 60 to 65 if related laws and regulations are revised. The change was described as an understanding rather than an immediate rule change.

Unionized workers at Hyundai Motor accept wage deal

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Summary

Unionized workers at Hyundai Motor Co. in Ulsan accepted this year’s wage deal on Tuesday, approving a 100,000 won monthly base-pay increase. The agreement also includes performance bonuses worth 400 percent of monthly wages and 12.7 million won in cash. The two sides said the retirement age could be extended from 60 to 65 if laws and regulations are revised. The deal followed multiple strikes that disrupted production for about 120 hours.

Key Facts

In a vote held Monday, 61.55 percent of 31,166 union members who cast ballots approved the wage agreement.
The agreement includes performance bonuses equivalent to 400 percent of monthly wages and an additional 12.7 million won in cash.
The union said the strikes caused cumulative production losses of about 55,200 vehicles and lost sales of more than 2.3 trillion won.
The union staged a full-day strike on Aug. 21, its first such walkout in 10 years.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 1, 2026 8:19 am KST

The headquarters of Hyundai Motor and Kia in southern Seoul / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group

ULSAN — Unionized workers of Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest automaker, have voted to accept a wage deal for this year, including a 100,000 won ($73) increase in monthly base pay, the union said Tuesday.

In a vote held Monday, 61.55 percent of 31,166 union members who cast a ballot approved this year's wage agreement between the labor union and the company, the union said.

Under the agreement ironed out earlier, workers will also receive performance bonuses equivalent to 400 percent of their monthly wages and an additional 12.7 million won in cash.

The two sides also reached an understanding to extend the retirement age from the current 60 to 65 if related laws and regulations are revised.

This year's deal came after the union staged multiple strikes, resulting in about 120 hours of production disruptions. The labor action included a full-day strike on Aug. 21, the union's first such walkout in 10 years.

The strikes are estimated to have caused cumulative production losses of around 55,200 vehicles, with lost sales exceeding 2.3 trillion won, according to industry sources.

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