Average monthly wages for regular employees in South Korea rose 3.1% year over year in the first half of 2026 to 4.318 million won, according to the Korea Enterprises Federation. Total pay excluding overtime increased by 131,000 won, while fixed-pay growth slowed to 2.2%. Special payments, including performance bonuses, rose 9.3% to a record 601,000 won. Wage growth was strongest at workplaces with at least 300 employees, where total pay increased 4.8%, compared with 2.1% at smaller workplaces. In electronics and telecommunications, which includes semiconductor manufacturing, total pay rose 23.1% to 9.434 million won and special payments surged 66%. The sector accounted for 32.4% of the overall wage increase despite representing about 2.5% of regular workers. Korea Enterprises Federation director Ha Sang-woo said companies should share performance with workers while considering future investment, competitiveness and their ability to pay.