Minimum Wage Commission Chairman Kwon Sun-won speaks with Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Secretary-General Ryu Ki-seop, a worker representative, after the 13th plenary session at the Government Sejong Building on Thursday. [Yonhap]
Minimum Wage Commission Chairman Kwon Sun-won speaks with Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Secretary-General Ryu Ki-seop, a worker representative, after the 13th plenary session at the Government Sejong Building on Thursday. [Yonhap]

Negotiations over next year's minimum wage are grinding through a final stretch of disagreement. Labor and business submitted their ninth revised proposals — 11,220 won and 10,530 won per hour, respectively — narrowing the gap to 690 won, but a group of employer representatives walked out after public-interest commissioners pressed for yet another round of revisions, pushing any agreement to the next session.

The Minimum Wage Commission held its 13th plenary session Thursday at the Government Sejong Building. The labor side's ninth proposal of 11,220 won represents an 8.7 percent increase, or 900 won, over this year's minimum wage of 10,320 won, while the business side's 10,530 won reflects a 2.0 percent rise of 210 won.

Compared with the eighth revised proposals, labor came down 30 won and business moved up 10 won. The gap between the two sides, which stood at 1,680 won when they first submitted their opening positions — 12,000 won for labor and 10,320 won for business — has since narrowed to 690 won.

The two sides still failed to reach an agreement Thursday, with the gap remaining wide and fresh friction emerging during the revision process.

After the seventh and eighth revised proposals were tabled, public-interest commissioners called for additional revisions, prompting two employer representatives from the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise to storm out of the meeting room in protest.

They said the business side's current proposed increase is already at the limit of what small businesses can bear, and that any raise exceeding 2.0 percent through further revisions would be unacceptable.

The commission decided to continue plenary deliberations in an effort to close the gap further. The 14th plenary session is scheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday.

At the start of that session, public-interest commissioners may present a "deliberation facilitation range" — an upper and lower bound — and push the two sides toward either a negotiated agreement or a vote within that range.

A final decision on next year's minimum wage is expected at the upcoming session. The statutory deadline for minimum wage deliberations this year was June 29, a date that has already passed.

Even so, the commission must submit its proposed minimum wage to the minister of employment and labor by mid-July to allow time for the remaining administrative steps.

The minister must then finalize and officially announce the minimum wage by Aug. 5. The new rate takes effect Jan. 1 next year.


th5@heraldcorp.com