SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees in South Korea
South Korea: SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees was 24,931 in 2022. ▲ Rising
SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees in South Korea, 2009–2022
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees in South Korea is 24,931, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 14 years on record.
That represents a change of up 13.5% on the previous year and up 46.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees in South Korea peaked at 24,931 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 14,463, in 2009.
That places South Korea 2nd out of 68 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 14,463 | — |
| 2010 | 15,088 | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 15,954 | +5.7% |
| 2012 | 17,074 | +7.0% |
| 2013 | 18,459 | +8.1% |
| 2014 | 19,108 | +3.5% |
| 2015 | 18,142 | -5.1% |
| 2016 | 18,786 | +3.5% |
| 2017 | 19,512 | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 21,922 | +12.4% |
| 2019 | 23,069 | +5.2% |
| 2020 | 21,468 | -6.9% |
| 2021 | 21,957 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 24,931 | +13.5% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 24,931 is above the median for high income countries, which is 32.71, 762.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 24,931 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3,983, 6.3× the median. (10 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14,463 | 14,463 | 14,463 | 1 |
| 2010s | 18,711 | 15,088 | 23,069 | 10 |
| 2020s | 22,785 | 21,468 | 24,931 | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More work & labour data for South Korea
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 16,840 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 63.91 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 29,824 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 2.96 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 0.78 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 97,052 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 65,686 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 62.02 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 0.9719 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate -0.1065 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees in South Korea?
- Sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees in South Korea was 24,931 in 2022, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 24,931 in 2022.
- What is the lowest sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 14,463 in 2009.
- How does South Korea rank for sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees?
- South Korea ranks 2nd out of 68 countries with data for 2022.
- Is sdg indicator 8.5.1: average hourly earnings of employees rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of SDG indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of employees (previous ILO definition - ICLS13). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
Data may differ from nationally reported figures and the Global SDG Indicators Database due to differences in sources and/or reference years. This indicator presents data by sex on employees' average hourly earnings. The concept of earnings, as applied in wage statistics, relates to gross remuneration in cash and in kind paid to employees, as a rule at regular intervals, for time worked or work done together with remuneration for time not worked, such as annual vacation, other type of paid leave or holidays. Earnings exclude employers' contributions in respect of their employees paid to social security and pension schemes and also the benefits received by employees under these schemes. Earnings also exclude severance and termination pay. Data are also disaggregated by occupation. Statistics on average hourly earnings by sex are the basis for the calculation of the gender pay gap. Data disaggregated by occupation are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO). Data may have been regrouped from the national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISCO. For more information, refer to the Labour Market-related SDG Indicators (ILOSDG) database description.