Next year's minimum wage has been set at 10,700 won per hour, but the current decision-making structure is being criticized for repeatedly leading to labor-management disputes as it exceeds the legal deadline each year. The current Minimum Wage Commission faces a large gap between the positions of worker and employer members, and there are ongoing controversies about political bias in the structure where public interest members lead the decision-making process. In addition, the method of calculating the minimum wage is unclear, raising concerns about a lack of objective grounds. As a result, calls for institutional reforms such as increasing the proportion of experts and developing a wage calculation formula based on objective indicators are growing louder. Even public interest members of the Minimum Wage Commission are recommending institutional improvements, and it is expected that discussions on reforming the minimum wage decision-making structure will intensify.
