The average annual salary of a single office worker in South Korea is reported to be 45 million KRW (approximately 37.5 million KRW per month), according to statistics from the 2024 income report submitted to the National Tax Service. However, this figure is seen as misleading due to the “average trap,” as the median salary, which represents the midpoint in the salary distribution, is significantly lower at 34.17 million KRW (approximately 28.5 million KRW per month). This indicates that more than half of the office workers earn less than 30 million KRW annually before tax.
The income disparity is further highlighted by the earnings of the top 0.1%, who have an average annual salary of 999.37 million KRW—22 times greater than the overall average—and the top 1%, whose average salary is 346.3 million KRW, eight times the overall average. These high earnings raise the overall average, creating a statistical illusion of higher income.
Most workers, excluding the top 20% who earn an average of 65.34 million KRW, have salaries around 30 million KRW, meaning eight out of ten workers do not reach the proclaimed average salary of 45 million KRW.
This income gap is also reflected in household income statistics. According to the National Statistical Office (KOSIS), the average annual income for the top 10% of households in 2024 exceeded 210.51 million KRW for the first time, highlighting a widening income gap as the economy faces a prolonged recession. Experts emphasize the need to focus not on the rise of the average salary itself, but on understanding the living conditions of the majority at different income levels.