Daegu records highest minimum wage violations in South Korea for six years

Daegu has recorded the highest number of minimum wage law violation reports per 100,000 wage earners for six consecutive years. According to data from the Ministry of Employment and Labor provided to National Assembly member Yoon Jae-ok, the Daegu Regional Employment and Labor Office reported 6.5 cases per 100,000 workers as of August this year, surpassing Gwangju (5.9) and Seoul (4.7). The national average stands at 4.0.

Analysts attribute this trend to a chronic shortage of high-quality jobs in the region. Daegu's Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) per capita has remained the lowest in South Korea for 30 consecutive years since 1995. This economic environment often forces young people into low-wage positions where even minimum wage protections are frequently ignored.

Between 2021 and August 2024, individuals in their 20s accounted for 28.1% of the 1,887 confirmed minimum wage violation victims in the Daegu area, the highest proportion among all age groups. This lack of fair compensation is cited as a factor in the continuous outflow of the youth population from the city.