Over Half of Workers Earn More Than 3 Million Won Monthly... Proportion of 5 Million Won and Above Hits Record High

In the first half of this year, more than half of all wage earners recorded an average monthly wage exceeding 3 million won.

Driven by rising wages, inflation, and the effect of bonuses, the proportion of workers earning 5 million won or more also reached an all-time high.

The number of employed persons increased in non-residential welfare facilities, hospitals, and clinics, fueled by welfare demands stemming from an aging population.

According to the Regional Employment Survey for the First Half of 2026: Characteristics of Employed Persons by Industry and Occupation released by Statistics Korea today (the 27th), wage earners totaled 22.373 million as of April this year.

Among them, wage earners with an average monthly income exceeding 3 million won accounted for over 50% for the first time.

Those earning between 3 million and 4 million won accounted for 22.8%, those earning between 4 million and 5 million won made up 11.5%, and those earning 5 million won or more accounted for 17.6%, bringing the combined total to 51.9%.

In particular, the proportion of workers earning 5 million won or more increased by 1.2 percentage points (p) from last year, marking the highest level for the first half of the year since relevant statistics began in 2013.

The proportions for those earning between 3 million and 4 million won and between 4 million and 5 million won also rose by 0.4 percentage points and 0.3 percentage points, respectively.

Average monthly wage refers to the total amount received over the past three months, including various bonuses and goods received from one's main job.

The payment of bonuses centered around semiconductors in the first half of this year appears to have influenced the expansion of the high-income bracket.

The proportion of earners making 5 million won or more is high in sectors such as financial and insurance activities (40.5%), professional, scientific, and technical services (37.5%), and information and communications (35.8%).

Manufacturing expanded from 22.9% in the first half of last year to 25.4% in the first half of this year.

On the other hand, human health and social work activities stood at a mere 5.8%.

The growth in the number of employed persons is being led by the human health and social work activities sector.

Employed persons in the operation of non-residential welfare facilities, which include general welfare centers and visiting welfare services, numbered 1.843 million, an increase of 155,000 compared to the same period last year.

Their proportion among total employed persons reached 6.4%, surpassing the 6% mark for the first time.

Due to increasing demand for medical care and welfare, employment in hospitals increased by 64,000 and in clinics by 26,000.

Real estate-related services also saw an increase of 29,000.

Conversely, employment decreased by 82,000 in crop cultivation, 62,000 in architectural engineering and related technical services, and 31,000 in retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles.

Among young people aged 15 to 29, employment increased significantly in hospitals and higher education institutions (9,000 each), while decreasing in retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles (-18,000).

For those aged 30 to 49, employment in hospitals also increased by 38,000.

In architectural engineering and related technical services, employment dropped by 34,000.

For those aged 50 and older, employment in the operation of non-residential welfare facilities increased by 141,000.

It is also noteworthy that male employment in the operation of non-residential welfare facilities, a sector traditionally predominated by female workers, increased by 66,000.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.