2025 marks a year of significant change in South Korea, with updates to the minimum wage and social welfare programs aimed at improving the lives of citizens. These revisions reflect the government's commitment to ensuring a fairer and more equitable society for all. Here’s an overview of the updates and what they mean for workers and households.
2025 Minimum Wage: A Step Forward
The minimum wage for 2025 has been set at 10,030 KRW per hour, representing an increase of 170 KRW from 2024. This change will also raise the monthly wage for full-time workers (209 hours) from 2,060,740 KRW to 2,096,270 KRW.
Key Points:
- 2024 Minimum Wage: 9,860 KRW/hour | 2,060,740 KRW/month.
- 2025 Minimum Wage: 10,030 KRW/hour | 2,096,270 KRW/month.
- The increase reflects the government’s efforts to ensure a living wage for all workers, including part-time employees, temporary workers, and foreign laborers working in South Korea.
This adjustment aligns with South Korea's commitment to improving income security for all categories of workers.
Median Income Standards for 2025
The median income standard serves as a benchmark for determining eligibility for various social welfare benefits. For 2025, the median income standard for a four-person household has been raised by 6.42%—the largest increase since the implementation of the tailored benefit system in 2015.
Comparison of Median Income Standards:
- 2024: 5,729,913 KRW/month.
- 2025: 6,097,773 KRW/month.
This rise will directly affect the eligibility and benefit levels for programs like livelihood, housing, medical, and educational support.
Key Changes to Social Welfare Benefits
Livelihood Support (Basic Livelihood Security Program):
- Eligibility threshold increased to 32% of median income.
- Income and asset limits for eligibility relaxed:
- Annual income limit: Increased from 100 million KRW to 130 million KRW.
- General asset limit: Increased from 900 million KRW to 1.2 billion KRW.
Medical Support:
- Eligibility threshold raised to 40% of median income.
- Monthly health maintenance allowance doubled from 6,000 KRW to 12,000 KRW.
Housing Support:
- Eligibility threshold set at 48% of median income.
- Standard rent allowance increased by 3.2–7.8% (11,000 KRW to 24,000 KRW).
- Home repair subsidies raised by 29% (133,000 KRW to 360,000 KRW).
Educational Support:
- Eligibility threshold set at 50% of median income.
- Education activity support increased by approximately 5%:
- Elementary school: 487,000 KRW.
- Middle school: 679,000 KRW.
- High school: 768,000 KRW.
Looking Ahead
The updated minimum wage and social welfare thresholds reflect South Korea’s commitment to supporting workers and families amid changing economic conditions. These measures aim to provide a stronger safety net for those in need while boosting economic activity by increasing disposable income for low- and middle-income households.
If you qualify for any of these benefits or want to learn more about how these changes affect you, consider reaching out to local government offices or visiting official online resources for detailed guidance.
Source: Adapted from South Korea Policy Briefing (www.korea.kr).
