Two major labor advocates estimated Tuesday that about 20,000 security guards at apartment complexes nationwide would face layoffs due to the minimum wage law, which will become fully effective on Jan. 1, 2015.

As there are about 180,000 apartment security guards in the country, the estimate would amount to 11 percent to the total.

The poll, conducted by the advocates at about 322 apartment complexes, showed that 7.5 percent of the respondents had decided to scale back their guard workforce from the beginning of next year.

Only 13.7 percent of the respondents said they would not carry out the manpower slash, and the remaining respondents (more than 70 percent) had yet to decide whether to maintain their current payroll, according to the survey.

The survey was conducted by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions.

As 7.5 percent of the respondents were in favor of the layoffs, 13.7 percent were opposed and 70 percent were undecided, the two entities ― estimating according to the proportion ― forecast that 20,000 security guards faced dismissal, or “1 out of every 10” across the nation.

The KCTU and the FKTU said they had found that each apartment complex planned to dismiss an average of 2.9 guards.

The average salary for security workers, including apartment security guards, is projected to climb 19 percent on-year as the minimum wage law will be “fully” implemented in 2015, with the minimum wage itself set to rise in line with consumer inflation.

Each household at an apartment complex will have to pay higher maintenance fees, which may be raised by about 2,500 won ($2.30) extra per month if there is no manpower reduction.

The poll showed that more than half of the respondents cited the burden of a hike in apartment maintenance fees as the reason for cutting their payroll.

Last month, the Labor Ministry unveiled its plan to improve the working conditions of apartment contract workers. It vowed to allocate state funds worth 720,000 won for each apartment guard aged 60 or older over the next three years.

In response to the estimated 19 percent hike in their salaries, the ministry also secured a budget totaling 2.3 billion won for 3,200 individuals older than 60.

Labor advocates, however, say that the government policy falls short of a fundamental solution. They stress the attempted suicide of a security guard in his 50s in October reflects the poor working conditions.

Average monthly wages for guards stand at less than 2 million won and many have reportedly suffered abuse by residents.

By Kim Yon-se (kys@heraldcorp.com)