Wage Gap Widens in Manufacturing: Inspectors Paid Twice as Much as Bakers (Image supported by ChatGPT)
Metal Materials Quality Inspectors Earn Highest Daily Pay; Bakers Rank Lowest
SEOUL, June 30 (Korea Bizwire) — Among 129 job categories in South Korea’s small and medium-sized manufacturing sector, metal materials quality inspectors command the highest average daily wage, while bakers and rice cake makers earn the least, according to new industry data.
The Korea Federation of SMEs (KBIZ) on Saturday released its biannual wage survey for the first half of 2025, revealing that metal materials quality inspectors earned an average of ₩179,162 ($129) per day in March — a 14.5% increase from ₩156,472 a year earlier. These professionals, who oversee and manage quality systems for metallic materials and products, typically hold national technical licenses and accumulate 4 to 10 years of experience.
The report is based on data from 1,500 SMEs with at least ₩3 billion in annual revenue and a workforce of 10 or more. The average daily wage was calculated by converting the total March payroll (base pay plus allowances) into an eight-hour day equivalent.
Other top-earning roles include:
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Electrical, electronic and mechanical quality inspectors: ₩170,081
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Chemical engineering quality inspectors: ₩167,653
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CAD designers: ₩151,886
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Computer operators: ₩150,580
At the lower end of the pay scale, bakers and traditional confectionery workers earned just ₩85,030 per day. Close behind were:
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Shoe production machine operators: ₩86,601
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Garment workers: ₩86,822
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Rubber and plastic product assemblers: ₩87,208
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Sewing machine operators: ₩87,489
Across all roles surveyed, the average daily wage in March stood at ₩114,007, up 3.0% from ₩110,684 in June 2024 and 7.8% from ₩105,773 in August 2023.
The announced figures will serve as the official labor cost benchmark for government contracts starting July 1.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
