Politics · South Korea · 3 hrs ago
Wonju council members’ annual pay to rise 11.5%, drawing union criticism
Wonju’s pay review committee approved an 11.5% increase in annual pay for city council members in the South Korean city.
Their annual pay will rise from 47.99 million won to 53.51 million won, an increase of 5.52 million won.
The city hall workers’ union said objections were ignored after residents and the union opposed a pay rise at a public hearing.
The amount discussed at the hearing was 52.7 million won, but the committee set the final figure higher, at 53.51 million won.
The union said the increase was hard to justify given the city’s tight finances and argued council members should share responsibility for public spending.
It also criticized four planned official overseas trips, which it said were continuing without significant changes after public debate.
The union urged council members to show work matching the increase and take their responsibilities to residents seriously.
Wonju’s council members will receive an 11.5% increase in annual pay, raising it by 5.52 million won to 53.51 million won.
The Wonju City Hall public employees’ union said it was strongly disappointed by the decision.
The union said objections raised at a public hearing were not reflected in the final decision.
The pay review committee said it considered pay levels in other cities and counties and the working conditions of local council members.
The union also criticized plans for four official overseas trips and called on council members to demonstrate work befitting the pay increase.
- Who
- Wonju City Council members will receive the pay increase; the Wonju City Hall public employees’ union criticized it.
- What
- Annual pay will rise by 5.52 million won, or 11.5%, to 53.51 million won.
- When
- The pay review committee made the decision on October 28, 2026; the union issued its statement on October 29.
- Where
- Wonju, Gangwon Province, South Korea.
- Why
- The committee said it considered pay levels in other cities and counties and local council members’ working conditions.
Wonju City Hall public employees’ union
Wonju pay review committee
Reason for the increase
Wonju City Hall public employees’ union
The union said the increase was difficult to accept given the city’s limited finances.
Wonju pay review committee
The committee said it considered pay levels in other cities and counties and the working conditions of local council members.
Public input
Wonju City Hall public employees’ union
The union said objections at a public hearing were not reflected and the final amount exceeded the figure presented there.
Wonju pay review committee
Not stated.
Wonju’s pay review committee decided to raise council members’ annual pay from 47.99 million won to 53.51 million won.
The Wonju City Hall public employees’ union issued a statement criticizing the increase and raising concerns about four planned official overseas trips.
- Annual pay after increase
- 53.51 million won
- Annual pay before increase
- 47.99 million won
- Increase
- 5.52 million won, or 11.5%
- Amount presented at public hearing
- 52.70 million won
- Planned official overseas trips
- 4
1 source
What people are saying
It is difficult to accept a large increase in council members’ pay despite Wonju’s limited financial circumstances.
We considered the pay levels of other cities and counties and the working conditions of local council members.