National Assembly members to receive 4.4 million won in Chuseok holiday bonuses… sparks controversy among office workers
According to data recently released by the National Assembly Secretariat, it has been confirmed that the Chuseok holiday bonus paid to each National Assembly member this year is approximately 4.4 million won. This amount is equivalent to 60% of a member's monthly base salary of 7,327,600 won.
National Assembly members receive this amount as a holiday bonus for both Lunar New Year and Chuseok. Consequently, the total amount a member receives in holiday bonuses alone over the course of a year reaches approximately 8.8 million won. This allowance is paid separately from their regular salary.
As this fact became known, voices of criticism have emerged among ordinary office workers. This is because many employees do not receive holiday bonuses, or if they do, the amount is often lower than the holiday bonus received by National Assembly members.
Some citizens are raising questions about whether the holiday bonus is set too high compared to the performance and workload of National Assembly members. In particular, there is ongoing controversy over equity regarding the payment of high-value holiday allowances during a time of economic hardship.
This controversy has once again highlighted the gap between the salary structure of public officials and the income levels of the general public. Attention is now focused on how social discussions regarding the allowances of National Assembly members will proceed in the future.