Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

Middle Class Earns 2 Million to 5 Million Won a Month
By Yoon Ja-young, Korea Times (August 29, 2007)
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2007/08/123_9192.html

[chriswylson]

"called a middle class HOUSEHOLD"

[Real Reality]

[chriswylson]

``Surviving & conservative,'' making 2 million won to 2.7 million won"

[Matman]

Difficult to compare these household incomes with a teacher's salary. Household presumably includes working mothers a lot of the time but also families have much higher expenses (housing, kids) than single teachers.

[trubadour]

A 'household' can be of one person.

[Matman]

...but usually isn't in Korea where people generally stay with their parents until marriage.

[sojourner1]

Yea, I am sure 2 million Won is middle class as many only make 700,000 to 1.2 million per month without employer provided apartment (probably parent provided) and they probably have kids or unemployed sig others or both while others who included in the nepotist white collar job market are making 5 to 10 million Won per month. I have hung out with both classes to get a better understanding and find that it is not that much different than America despite being a far East Asian country. Yes, like in todays America, there seems to be 2 classes with only a tiny middle class who are the teachers, plumbers, electricians, truck drivers, and nurses. If you're single like me here, then you're saving money unless you're drinking Erdingers and eating tasty fattening hot food every night in Itaewon.

[bejarano-korea]

For the first time in my life I will rise from my blue collar existence to become middle class! Thank you Korea!

[Damulgun]

[just another day]

[bejarano-korea]

[SPINOZA]

Per capita GDP in Korea is $18,392, rank 36

Most people find they save at least 1 million Won per month, so that's 12 million annually PLUS severance (PLUS pension to those citizens elligible). So, before overtime and illegal income, savings for teaching English are generally 14 million Won, which is 78% (savings) of per capita GDP (before savings).

[just another day]

[bejarano-korea]