(image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 30 (Korea Bizwire) — Wages of seamen in South Korea edged up in 2018 from a year earlier, with crew of deep-sea fishing vessels being the highest paid, data showed Thursday.
The average monthly wage of sailors in the country came to 4.69 million won (US$3,928) last year, up 1.8 percent from a year earlier and about 42 percent from a decade ago, according to the data by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
Seafarers for oceangoing fishing ships received the highest monthly wage of 7.57 million won, followed by those hired by foreign fishing vessels with 7.19 million won.
The average monthly pay for mates and engineers came to 5.44 million won, with that for low-level crew reaching 3.48 million won. Their wages include base pay, overtime, bonuses and other benefits.
As of end-December, South Korea had slightly over 61,000 seamen, with Koreans accounting for 57 percent of the total, or 34,751.
Sailors in their 40s and 50s took up 43.2 percent of the total, trailed by those aged 60 or older with 36.9 percent.
(Yonhap)
