[Photo] S. Korea’s top 0.1% makes as much as bottom 17%

The income of the top 0.1% of South Koreans is roughly equivalent to the total income of the bottom 17%. According to data released by the National Assembly’s Strategy and Finance Committee, the average yearly salary of the top 0.1% of South Korean earners (as of 2017) 887.1 million won (US$741,349). This figure is roughly 31 times the media income of all South Koreans (25.72 million won, or US$21,493). The combined annual salary of the top 0.1% (14.56 trillion won, or US$12.17 billion) falls just below the combined annual salary of the bottom 17% (15.49 trillion won, or US$12.94 billion). The photo shows an elderly woman looking at job ads. (Hankyoreh archives)