The government has incorporated a 3.9% increase in public-sector compensation into the 2027 budget proposal. This reflects the upper end of the 3.4%–3.9% range agreed upon and recommended by the Public Officials’ Remuneration Committee.
Key Changes
The announcement also included a plan to raise the starting compensation for a first-year Grade 9 civil servant to around ₩3 million per month. However, this figure does not refer to base pay alone. It is based on total compensation, combining salary and allowances.
“₩3 million per month” refers to total compensation combining salary and allowances, not the base pay of a first-year Grade 9 civil servant.
Current Status
The 2027 increase is currently at the stage of being reflected in the budget proposal. Therefore, the inclusion of the increase in the proposal alone does not mean that final pay amounts by grade and seniority step have been confirmed. Subsequent revisions to relevant compensation regulations and confirmation of the final pay tables are required.
Actual individual payments may also vary. They can differ depending on the position, workplace, overtime, family allowances, deductions, and other conditions.
Impact
According to figures announced by the Ministry of Personnel Management for 2026, overall public-sector compensation increased by 3.5% year over year, while starting compensation for Grade 9 civil servants was presented at an average of around ₩2.86 million per month, including salary and allowances. In addition, the first-step salary for Grades 7–9 in 2026 rose 6.6% from the previous year, reflecting both the standard increase and an additional increase.
The 2027 budget proposal is therefore attracting attention because it presents both an overall public-sector compensation increase rate and a target for starting compensation for Grade 9 civil servants. The government explained that it considered private-sector wage growth, the pay gap between the private and public sectors, and the minimum-wage increase when calculating the rate.
2027 Budget Proposal
The Ministry of Planning and Budget’s official video about the budget proposal can serve as reference material for understanding the broader context of the 2027 budget proposal.
[Official Ministry of Planning and Budget video: Investing in the Future and Innovating Public Finance｜2027 Budget Proposal](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ2tuk-vAFc)
What to Check Next
The key points to monitor are:
- How the public-sector compensation increase is reflected during the budget review process
- Whether the Public Officials’ Remuneration Regulations and Public Officials’ Allowance Regulations are subsequently revised
- The final pay tables by grade and seniority step, as well as individual payment amounts
Based on the materials currently available, it is not possible to definitively state the final 2027 pay tables or individual take-home amounts.