Suwon's 2025 Living Wage Set at 11,290 Won per Hour, 6.8% Increase from This Year

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-seong] Suwon's 2025 living wage has been set at 11,290 won per hour (hourly rate), a 6.8% increase from this year. This represents 112.6% of the minimum wage for next year announced by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (10,030 won), which translates to 2,359,610 won per month (based on 209 monthly working hours).

The Suwon Labor-Management-Civil-Government Council held its second regular meeting on the 27th at the Suwon City Hall situation room, presided over by Chairman Lee Jae-jun, Mayor of Suwon, and passed a resolution on next year's living wage in consideration of overall economic conditions including the minimum wage increase rate, average worker wage increase rate, Suwon household expenditure, and fiscal circumstances.

The 'living wage' introduced by the city in 2014 goes a step beyond the minimum wage and refers to a wage level that enables people to maintain a 'dignified human life.' The living wage applies to approximately 2,800 workers, including workers employed by Suwon City and its invested and funded institutions, workers employed by organizations and companies that have been delegated administrative work by Suwon City or that provide construction, service contracts, and other services to the city, and workers directly hired by subcontractors.

The Suwon Labor-Management-Civil-Government Council appointed Lee Sun-geun, Chairman of the Suwon School Operating Committee Council, as a new member and presented him with the letter of appointment on that day.

Meanwhile, the Labor-Management-Civil-Government Council is a social dialogue consultative body that operates through cooperation among labor, management, citizens, and local government to revitalize the regional economy and create a 'job creation governance' (public-private cooperation system).

Mayor Lee Jae-jun stated, "Although our city faces difficult fiscal circumstances, we have decided on next year's living wage with an increase rate higher than the minimum wage increase to improve the quality of life for workers who face significant economic burdens due to rising prices," and added, "When workers are happy, businesses and the regional economy prosper together as well."