Incheon Metropolitan City
Incheon Metropolitan City

Incheon Metropolitan City has set its 2027 living wage at 12,630 won ($9) per hour.

The figure is up 620 won, or 5.1 percent, from this year and stands 18 percent higher than next year's minimum wage.

Compared with the government-set 2027 minimum wage of 10,700 won, the living wage is 1,930 won, or 18 percent, higher per hour.

The new wage will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027. It applies to workers at Incheon Metropolitan City itself, as well as its affiliated public corporations and agencies, government-invested and -funded institutions, and organizations carrying out city-commissioned work.

Incheon runs the living wage regime to help stabilize the livelihoods of low-wage workers and improve their quality of life.

The city first introduced the system in 2017, expanded it to public corporations, agencies and government-invested and -funded institutions in 2019, and further widened its scope in 2022 to include organizations carrying out city-commissioned work.


gilbert@heraldcorp.com