Accra:Seoul The proportion of non-regular workers among South Korea's wage earners reached a record high of 38.5 percent in August, according to data released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics. This increase also highlighted a growing wage gap between non-regular and regular workers.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the total number of non-regular workers was 8.67 million in August, up from 8.56 million a year earlier. The percentage of non-regular salaried employees increased from 38.2 percent in 2025, marking the highest levels since the current data compilation method began in 2003.
The report detailed that male workers accounted for 3.7 million of the non-regular workforce, while female workers numbered 4.96 million. In terms of industry sectors, 21.5 percent of non-regular workers were in health and social welfare, followed by 9.9 percent in accommodation and food services.
In August, the total number of wage workers in South Korea was 22.52 million, with 13.85 million, or 61.5 percent, holding regular positions. The average weekly working hours for non-regular workers increased to 29.5 hours, while regular workers worked 40.4 hours on average.
The average monthly salary for non-regular workers rose to 2.11 million won, compared to 4.05 million won for regular workers. This widened the wage gap to 1.94 million won, an increase of 132,000 won from the previous year.
The average length of service for non-regular workers was three years, with a decrease in national pension enrollment to 36.5 percent and a slight drop in public health insurance coverage to 53 percent. Regular workers had significantly higher enrollment rates in both programs, at 88.6 percent and 95.7 percent, respectively.
OECD data indicated that temporary workers made up 27.5 percent of South Korea's labor force in 2025, compared to 5.1 percent in Britain and 14.2 percent in Japan. The OECD's definition of temporary workers excludes part-timers, outsourced laborers, and those renewing their contracts.