Nearly 1.54 million people in Korea work ultra-short-term part-time jobs

[Image source: Gettyimagesbank]

Nearly 1.54 million people in South Korea work part-time jobs, usually less than 15 hours per week, amid a sharp rise in the minimum wage, an analysis showed Wednesday.

According to an analysis by Maeil Business Newspaper into data from Statistics Korea on Wednesday, the number of people that work less than 17 hours a week stood at 2.19 million in the first six months of the year, staying above 2 million for a third straight year.

Of them, 1.59 million are estimated to be working less than 15 hours a week, which is the threshold for hirers to not offer a weekly holiday pay.

Industry observers note that companies, mainly the self-employed small- and mid-size enterprises that are under the burden of rising labor cost, prefer to hire short-term part-time workers that are not subject to statutory weekly holiday pay. The move is raising concerns about the deteriorating quality of employment.

Weekly holiday pay refers to a system where workers are entitled to one paid day off per week if they work more than 15 hours per week.

This year, the minimum wage stands at 9,620 won ($7.53), an increase of 48.7 percent since 2017. Including statutory holiday pay, the effective minimum wage has already exceeded 10,000 won, amounting to 11,544 won.

Currently, the Minimum Wage Commission is in the process of setting next year’s minimum wage, with the labor circle proposing 11,140 won and management 9,740 won.

If the minimum wage is set at the midpoint, the minimum wage, including weekly holiday pay, will rise to 12,528 won next year.

“If the minimum wage is raised excessively, workers with jobs can benefit from the wage increase, but those without jobs will suffer,” said Lee Jung-min, a professor at Seoul National University.