2분기 소득분배 지표 역대 최저…고유가지원금 늘고, 고소득자 근로소득 감소

The 2nd quarter income distribution indicator reached its lowest level since the 2019 data restructuring, according to the latest report from the National Statistics Office. This improvement in income distribution is attributed to increased financial support for low-income households. The government provided additional financial assistance to the lowest 70% of income earners, amounting to an individual payment between 10,000 to 60,000 won based on income level and residence.

Despite a 0.8% increase, the average real income from labor remained stagnant, decreasing by 2.1% in the 2nd quarter compared to the previous year. The number of wage earners declined by 79,000 from the previous year, and the rate of wage increases slowed down. However, the financial assistance provided to low-income households saw the largest increase in four years, with a 20.4% rise in the average monthly financial assistance per household.

The overall improvement in income distribution can be seen through the increased average monthly income for the bottom 20% income group, up 7.5% to 128,300 won, compared to a 3.8% increase for the top 20% income group, which only rose to 1,115,000 won. This disparity reduction is evident in the ratio of the average income of the bottom 20% to that of the top 20%, which decreased to 4.97 from 5.45, a significant drop from the previous year. This trend indicates a more equitable distribution of income across the population.