Six Months’ Pay of 180 Million Won... Which Company Pays More Than ‘Samsung Electronics and SK hynix’?

[Financial News] An analysis found that employees at South Korea’s 500 largest companies earned an average of 55 million won per person in the first half of this year, representing six months of pay. Notably, 20 companies paid more than 100 million won, with financial and securities firms—not Samsung Electronics and SK hynix—occupying the top spots.
On the 2nd, CEO Score analyzed the salaries paid to employees during the first half of this year, from January through June, at 345 comparable companies among South Korea’s 500 largest firms. The average pay per employee came to 54.99 million won, up 3.63 million won, or 7.1%, from 51.36 million won during the same period last year.
By pay range, the largest group consisted of 150 companies, or 43.5%, paying between 40 million and 60 million won. They were followed by 86 companies, or 24.9%, paying 20 million to 40 million won; 64 companies, or 18.6%, paying 60 million to 80 million won; and 23 companies, or 6.7%, paying 80 million to 100 million won.
Korea Financial Group recorded the highest average six-month salary at 184 million won. That was a 13.6% increase, or 22 million won, from 162 million won in the first half of last year.
It was followed by Meritz Securities at 165.21 million won; Korea Investment & Securities at 162 million won; Yuanta Securities Korea at 149 million won; SK hynix at 144 million won; Dunamu at 139.75 million won; Mirae Asset Securities at 136 million won; Meritz Financial Group at 130 million won; Hana Securities at 124 million won; and NH Investment & Securities at 123 million won.
Twenty companies had an average salary of more than 100 million won per employee. Twelve of them were securities firms. CEO Score explained that this was likely due to compensation systems in the industry, where performance-based bonuses account for a relatively large share of total pay.
E-Land World had the lowest average pay per employee at 17 million won. It was followed by CJ Freshway at 19 million won; Hyundai Green Food at 20.32 million won; L&F at 23 million won; Hanwha Hotels & Resorts at 23 million won; Daou Data at 26 million won; Ottogi at 26 million won; Emart at 26 million won; Kolon Global at 26 million won; and Harim at 26 million won. Food and retail companies generally recorded lower average salaries.
By industry, financial holding companies had the highest average pay at 113.88 million won, up 5.2% from 108.25 million won a year earlier.
They were followed by securities at 107.10 million won; telecommunications at 69.67 million won; banking at 67 million won; credit and finance at 64.06 million won; insurance at 61.94 million won; services at 58.83 million won; shipbuilding, machinery and equipment at 57.51 million won; trading at 55.72 million won; and petrochemicals at 53.83 million won.


[email protected] Ahn Ga-eul Reporter