On July 12th, the minimum wage for 2022 was set at 9,160 won, which is an increase of 440 won from 8,720 won. Following this new wage increase, the salary based on five workdays a week and eight work hours a day (a total of 209 hours) will be 1,914,440 won. A formal meeting was held that day, and the members of the Minimum Wage Commission consisted of nine employer commissioners, nine public interest commissioners, and nine employee commissioners. However, four employee commissioners left before voting, criticizing that the promised minimum wage of 10,000 won was not met. Also, nine employer commissioners abstained from the vote, insisting the minimum wage is too high. Eventually, only nine public interest commissioners and five employee commissioners actually voted, and 13 members voted in favor. Before the meeting, labor unions suggested 10,800 won as the minimum wage, and business communities suggested 8,720 won, the same amount of money as this year’s minimum wage. They tried to narrow the gap of 2,080 won between them, adjusting it three times, but it ended without an agreement being reached. After the meeting, the employer commissioners said, “Fixing the next year’s minimum wage to 9,160 won is explicitly beyond the paying ability of small companies and business owners.”