91% of wage workers added in a year under Lee Jae Myung government are non-regular; monthly pay gap with regular workers hits 1.94 million won

SEOUL

Nine out of every ten wage workers added in the year from August last year, two months after the Lee Jae Myung government took office, were non-regular workers, and the average monthly pay gap between regular and non-regular workers widened to 1.94 million won. In the "Supplementary Survey by Type of Employment of the Economically Active Population Survey for August 2026" released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics on the 21st, non-regular workers numbered 8,671,000, up 103,000 from a year earlier. Regular workers rose by just 10,000 over the same period. After the same statistics came out last year, the Ministry of Employment and Labor responded that "the relative wage level of non-regular workers excluding part-time workers is continuously rising," but the very indicator the ministry cited also slipped back this year.

Non-regular jobs account for 103,000 of the 113,000 added wage workers

Wage workers numbered 22,526,000 in August this year, up 113,000 from a year earlier. Of the increase, regular workers accounted for 10,000 and the remaining 103,000 were non-regular workers. Ninety-one percent of the increase was in non-regular jobs. Regular workers numbered 13,855,000, and their share fell 0.3 percentage point to 61.5%. The share of non-regular workers rose 0.3 percentage point to 38.5%. The survey covered wage workers in about 36,000 households in sample survey districts nationwide.

The Lee Jae Myung government took office in June 2025. Compared with the August 2024 survey, before it took office, non-regular workers rose by 212,000, from 8,459,000 to 8,671,000. Regular workers rose by 170,000 over the same period, from 13,685,000 to 13,855,000. According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics' statistical tables, non-regular workers as of August numbered 7,481,000 in 2019, 8,066,000 in 2021, 8,122,000 in 2023, 8,459,000 in 2024 and 8,568,000 in 2025. This year's 8,671,000 is the highest of the figures in the table since 2019. Their share, too, went from 36.4% in 2019 to 37.0% in 2023 and 38.2% in both 2024 and 2025, reaching 38.5% this year, the highest in the same table.

Temporary workers, counted separately under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) standard, numbered 6,345,000, or 28.2% of wage workers. That was up 0.7 percentage point from 27.5% in August last year. The Ministry of Data and Statistics explained that the OECD compiles and publishes these statistics on the basis of the temporary nature of employment for cross-country comparison.

The increase was concentrated among older people and in care industries. Non-regular workers aged 60 or older numbered 3,180,000, up 135,000 in a year, more than the overall increase. The share of those aged 60 or older among non-regular workers rose 1.2 percentage points to 36.7%. By industry, non-regular workers in health and social welfare rose by 112,000 to 1,867,000, and in accommodation and food services by 43,000 to 856,000. By type of employment, fixed-term workers rose by 160,000 to 5,497,000, and part-time workers by 152,000 to 4,382,000. Part-time workers accounted for 50.5% of non-regular workers and 19.5% of wage workers.

Monthly pay gap with regular workers widens by 132,000 won in a year to 1.94 million won

Average monthly wages over the most recent three months (June-August) were 4,052,000 won for regular workers and 2,112,000 won for non-regular workers. Regular workers' pay rose by 156,000 won (4.0%), while non-regular workers' rose by only 24,000 won (1.1%). The gap between the two groups was 1.94 million won, 132,000 won larger than last year's 1,808,000 won. That is the largest one-year widening since 2019 among the figures in the statistical tables. The gap was 1,436,000 won in 2019, 1,666,000 won in 2023 and 1,748,000 won in 2024.

As a ratio of non-regular to regular wages, it was 54.6% in 2019, 52.9% in 2020, 53.0% in 2021, 54.1% in 2022, 54.0% in 2023, 54.0% in 2024 and 53.6% in 2025. This year it was 52.1%, down 1.5 percentage points from last year and the lowest in the same table since 2019. It is also lower than in 2024, the year before the government took office. The ratios are calculated from the wage figures in the statistical tables.

Conditions also varied by type of employment within non-regular work. Temporary workers, such as fixed-term workers, earned 2,199,000 won, an increase of only 8,000 won. Part-time workers earned 1,146,000 won, up 31,000 won, and atypical workers 2,480,000 won, up 79,000 won. Non-regular workers' average length of service at their current workplace was three years, one-third of the nine years for regular workers. Average weekly working hours were 40.4 hours for regular workers and 29.5 hours for non-regular workers. The Ministry of Data and Statistics noted that working hours are affected by whether public holidays during the survey week fall on weekdays or weekends.

Labor ministry says monthly pay comparison has limits and relative wages excluding part-timers are rising

In its "Here Are the Facts" policy briefing on October 23 last year, the Ministry of Employment and Labor responded to the 1,808,000-won average monthly wage gap between regular and non-regular workers found in the August 2025 survey. The ministry explained that the comparison was of monthly wages that included part-time workers with short working hours, not a comparison of hourly wages, and so had limits as an objective comparison. It then presented the relative wage ratio of non-regular workers excluding part-time workers, compared with regular workers, as 72.8% in 2021, 75.0% in 2022, 76.2% in 2023, 77.9% in 2024 and 78.0% in 2025. The ministry said, "The relative wage level of non-regular workers excluding part-time workers is continuously rising, and at 78% in August 2025 it is at its highest level ever."

In the same material, the ministry said the share of non-regular workers who chose their status voluntarily had risen to 67.8%, and that average length of service had improved to two years and 11 months and the share with written employment contracts to 80.5%. On the employment insurance coverage rate of 53.7%, it explained that the ministry's Survey on Labor Conditions by Employment Type, limited to those eligible to enroll, showed 81.7%. As measures, it cited preparing on-the-ground implementation guidelines for Articles 2 and 3 of the amended Trade Union Act, codifying the principle of equal pay for work of equal value, promoting supra-enterprise bargaining and win-win cooperation models, and pushing for enactment of a "Framework Act on Guaranteeing Rights at Work."

Some of the indicators the ministry cited improved in this year's survey as well. The share of non-regular workers who chose their status voluntarily rose 0.2 percentage point to 68.0%, and among voluntary reasons, "satisfied with working conditions" rose 2.0 percentage points to 59.9%. Length of service rose by one month to three years. The share with written employment contracts rose 1.6 percentage points to 82.1%, approaching 84.0% for regular workers. The employment insurance coverage rate rose 0.3 percentage point to 54.0%. Part-time workers, whom the ministry cited as a limitation of monthly wage comparisons, also rose by 152,000 in a year, and their share of wage workers rose 0.6 percentage point to 19.5%.

Relative wages 'excluding part-timers' touted by the ministry also fall from 78.0% to 76.5%

Applying the indicator the ministry presented as its benchmark to this year's figures produces a different result. The average monthly wage of non-regular workers excluding part-time workers rose by 61,000 won this year to 3,098,000 won. Last year it was 3,037,000 won. Over the same period, regular workers' pay rose from 3,896,000 won to 4,052,000 won. The ratio to regular workers fell 1.5 percentage points, from 78.0% last year to 76.5% this year. One year after the ministry called it "the highest level ever," the indicator fell, and compared with the yearly figures the ministry presented, it is the lowest since 76.2% in 2023. The ratios were calculated from figures in the Ministry of Data and Statistics' statistical tables, and last year's value calculated the same way matches the 78.0% stated by the ministry.

Wages of non-regular workers excluding part-time workers rose 2.0% in a year, half the 4.0% increase for regular workers. The wage growth rate for temporary workers stood at 0.4%. Contrary to the ministry's explanation, which downplayed the monthly pay comparison by pointing to differences in working hours, the gap also widened among the group of non-regular workers with relatively long working hours.

In social insurance and work benefits, too, non-regular workers' rates fell while regular workers' rose. Non-regular workers' national pension coverage fell 0.6 percentage point to 36.5%, and health insurance coverage fell 0.2 percentage point to 53.0%. For regular workers, all rose: national pension from 87.9% to 88.6%, health insurance from 95.0% to 95.7% and employment insurance from 91.8% to 93.0%. The share of non-regular workers receiving retirement benefits fell 0.3 percentage point to 45.7%, bonuses 0.5 percentage point to 39.2%, and paid holidays (leave) 0.6 percentage point to 38.4%. The share of regular workers receiving retirement benefits rose from 95.6% to 96.2%.

The declines were most pronounced among temporary workers. Temporary workers' coverage fell in all three items: national pension from 43.9% to 42.3%, health insurance from 62.1% to 61.0% and employment insurance from 56.2% to 55.1%. The share receiving retirement benefits fell from 52.6% to 51.0%, and bonuses from 44.0% to 42.4%. Part-time workers' national pension coverage was 19.2%, and the share receiving retirement benefits was 28.8%. Among atypical workers, such as dispatched, service-contract and special-type workers, health insurance coverage fell 1.7 percentage points to 38.0%, and the share receiving overtime pay fell from 19.5% to 16.8%. The share of atypical workers with written employment contracts was 70.6%, meaning about three in ten worked without a written contract.

Equal pay for work of equal value roadmap pushed back from 'first half' to 'December'

Legislation on equal pay for work of equal value, which the government named as a key tool for closing the gap, has been delayed. In its "2026 Work Report" on December 11, 2025, the Ministry of Employment and Labor said it would "prepare within the first half of next year" a roadmap including codification of the principle, stronger provision of wage information and promotion of supra-enterprise bargaining. It also set out plans to provide wage distribution information by job, position and years of service and to establish a supra-enterprise bargaining model first in the public sector.

The roadmap did not come out even after the first half had passed. In its press release on the direction of work for the second half on August 4, 2026, the ministry wrote that it "will prepare (December) a roadmap including measures for codifying the principle + strengthening the provision of wage information + promoting supra-enterprise bargaining to realize equal pay for work of equal value." The timing for preparing the same roadmap was moved back by half a year. Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon said in the release, "The Ministry of Employment and Labor will take the lead for growth for people, labor that protects dignity and a future in which no one is excluded."

The 123 national policy tasks finalized by the government on September 16, 2025, include Task No. 93, "Workplaces without discrimination and exclusion." In connection with this task, the ministry resumed its program supporting conversion to regular employment on January 1 this year. Under the program, companies with fewer than 30 insured employees that convert fixed-term, dispatched or in-house subcontracted workers and others who have worked for six months or more to regular employment receive up to 600,000 won per person per month for up to one year; this year's budget is 6.9 billion won. A target number of conversions is not in the press release. In this year's August survey, fixed-term workers rose by 160,000 in a year.

Public sector measures announced, but fair allowance only introduced in 2027

In the public sector, measures came out on the schedule the government had announced. In its December 2025 work report, the ministry said it would "complete by March 2026" a survey of non-regular workers in the public sector across all ministries and prepare measures to improve their treatment, and on April 28, 2026, after reporting to the Cabinet meeting, it announced "Measures to Improve the Treatment of Non-Regular Workers in the Public Sector."

In the survey, there were about 146,000 fixed-term workers at about 2,100 central administrative agencies, public institutions, local governments and other bodies, of whom about 73,000 were on contracts of less than one year. The average fixed monthly wage of fixed-term workers was 2.89 million won, and 2.8 million won for those on contracts of less than one year. The ministry said the share receiving welfare points, meal allowances and holiday bonuses was lower than for public-service workers.

The measures reaffirmed the principle of hiring for permanent, ongoing work on a regular basis and in principle banned contracts of less than one year. They also restricted hiring of ultra-short-time workers working less than 15 hours a week, and required a pre-screening system for non-regular hiring where such hiring is unavoidable. The timing for implementing the hiring principle and strengthening the pre-screening system was set for May 2026. A fair allowance, paying fixed-term workers on contracts of less than one year a flat 10-8.5% of a base amount (118% of the minimum wage) depending on contract length, will be introduced in 2027. The portion for workers whose fixed monthly wage falls short of an appropriate wage (118% of the minimum wage) will be reflected in the 2027 budget proposal. On meal expenses, welfare points and holiday bonuses, the measures stopped at pursuing discussions on gradual improvement after examining actual conditions. As of April, 52 institutions had still not made conversion decisions under the 2017 guidelines on conversion to regular employment. Minister Kim said when the measures were announced, "The public sector should take the lead in correcting unfair employment practices toward non-regular workers and set an example through reasonable improvements in treatment."

In this year's August survey, non-regular workers in public administration fell by 22,000. The roughly 146,000 public sector fixed-term workers identified in the survey account for less than 2% of the 8,671,000 non-regular workers overall. Over the same period, non-regular workers in health and social welfare rose by 112,000, and in accommodation and food services by 43,000.

Young non-regular workers decline, but youth employment rate also falls

Non-regular workers aged 29 or younger numbered 1,482,000, down 64,000. Their share of non-regular workers was 17.1%, down from 18.0% last year. Part-time workers in the same age group numbered 884,000, up 26,000.

Youth employment indicators also worsened over the same period. In the Ministry of Data and Statistics' "Employment Trends in September 2026," the employment rate for those aged 15-29 was 44.0%, down 1.1 percentage points from a year earlier, and the unemployment rate rose 0.6 percentage point to 5.4%. The employment rate for those aged 15-34 also fell 0.4 percentage point to 56.1%. Total employment in the same month was 29,266,000, up 113,000. The Ministry of Data and Statistics said wage workers in September increased mainly among regular employees, but temporary and daily workers decreased.

By gender, female non-regular workers rose by 46,000 to 4,963,000, and male non-regular workers by 57,000 to 3,708,000. Among men, temporary workers rose by 136,000, and among women, part-time workers rose by 94,000. By education level, non-regular workers with a college degree or higher rose by 132,000 to 3,439,000. The share of non-regular workers who received education or training over the past year rose 3.2 percentage points to 35.7%, but was more than 20 percentage points below the 56.9% for regular workers.

Sources (KST)

• Ministry of Data and Statistics · 2026-10-21 · 2026년 8월 경제활동인구조사 근로형태별 부가조사 결과 (press release) · https://mods.go.kr/board.es?mid=a10301010000&bid=210&list_no=447508&act=view&mainXml=Y
• Ministry of Data and Statistics · 2026-10-21 · 2026년 8월 경제활동인구조사 근로형태별 부가조사 결과_최종.pdf (attachment, including statistical tables) · https://mods.go.kr/boardDownload.es?bid=210&list_no=447508&seq=14
• Ministry of Data and Statistics · 2026-10-16 · 2026년 9월 고용동향 (as posted by KDI Economic Information Center) · https://eiec.kdi.re.kr/policy/materialView.do?num=288191
• Ministry of Employment and Labor (Korea Policy Briefing, "Here Are the Facts") · 2025-10-23 · 노동부 "노동시장 격차 해소에 다양한 정책 추진" · https://www.korea.kr/briefing/actuallyView.do?newsId=148952856
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• Ministry of Employment and Labor · 2026-08-04 · 노동과 함께하는 진짜 성장으로 대체불가 대한민국 달성 · https://www.moel.go.kr/news/enews/report/enewsView.do?news_seq=19740
• Ministry of Employment and Labor · 2026-04-28 · 「공공부문 비정규직 처우개선 대책」 발표 · https://www.moel.go.kr/news/enews/report/enewsView.do?news_seq=19315
• Ministry of Employment and Labor · 2026-01-01 · 고용노동부, 2026년 정규직 전환 지원 사업 재개 · https://www.moel.go.kr/news/enews/report/enewsView.do?news_seq=18819
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