MINIMUM WAGE DISPUTE

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The Minimum Wage Commission has begun its deliberation today on next year's minimum wage. The first general meeting was held after eight new public officials were appointed to fill the vacancies in the committee. But the gap between the representatives of employers and employees still remains wide.

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The first general meeting of the Minimum Wage Commission was held to deliberate on next year's minimum wage. Vacancies left by eight public sector members who had resigned together have been filled and the commission chairman has been elected. It was the commission's first meeting, but the tension between the employers and the employees remained high.

[Soundbite] RYU GI-JEONG(EMPLOYER REPRESENTATIVE, MWC) : "It's already high even by global standards, causing difficulties for small businesses."

Worker representatives demonstrated that they're uncomfortable with the slowdown of the wage increase.

[Soundbite] BAEK SEOK-GEUN(EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVE, MWC) : "It's not up to this government to adjust the speed of minimum wage increase. It will fail if autonomy is not guaranteed."

The newly appointed public sector members are reportedly neutral in their stance. The Minimum Wage Commission is comprised of 27 members, nine each from the worker, employer, and public sectors. The public sector members are the ones with a casting vote. Park Jun-shik, the new chairman of the Minimum Wage Commission, admitted that the current administration's wage increase was carried out too rapidly, but added that it is more important to look at the impact left by the increase rather than its speed.

[Soundbite] PARK JUN-SIK(CHAIR, MINIMUM WAGE COMMISSION) : "I've never been pressured. Our rational decision will never be swayed by outside pressure."

The Commission plans to complete its deliberation by June 27th.