Data from the National Statistical Office showed that an average salary of a regular employee at a large firm with more than 300 employees is three times higher than that of an irregular worker at a medium-sized enterprise.

According to the data submitted to the National Assembly Research Service, a huge wage gap exists between the two work groups, with the former receiving an average monthly wage of 4.2 million won ($3,800), while the latter receives 1.4 million won per month. 

Of the 19 million employees in the Korean labor market, only 1.4 million (8 percent) work at a large company with a labor union, while 4.9 million employees (26 percent) work at a medium-sized company without a labor union, the agency said.

The data also showed that 68 percent of the employees work as regular workers, with the rest being irregular workers.

“A decent job here means one that is big, regular and has a labor union,” an official from the agency explained. “And that is only 7.6 percent out of the total job positions available.”

Due to the tough job market, an increasing number of young job seekers decide to prepare for the civil service exam, the official added.

By Bak Se-hwan (sh@heraldcorp.com)