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Image of the construction industry wage survey applicable to the second half of 2026.

The Construction Association of Korea released the results of its "Construction Wage Survey for the Second Half of 2026" on the 1st, based on a survey and tally of construction sector wages conducted last May.

According to the survey results, the average daily wage across all 132 occupations stood at 282,737 won, marking a 1.40% increase compared to the same period last year.

The association explained that this growth rate is the lowest level in the past 10 years. In particular, following a 6.71% rise in 2023, the rate of increase has slowed for three consecutive years, recording 3.30% in 2024, 1.66% in 2025, and 1.40% in 2026.

Looking at the average daily wage by occupation, optoelectronics changed from 434,567 won (second half of 2025) to 438,923 won (second half of 2026), national heritage preservation from 322,825 won to 328,824 won, general construction from 267,306 won to 270,614 won, and nuclear power from 241,443 won to 247,820 won.

The association cited employment declines stemming from the recent slump in the construction industry as a major factor behind the slowing wage growth rate. In fact, the number of employed individuals in the construction industry stood at 1.92 million in May, down 2.2% compared to the same month last year.

This survey is a designated statistical survey pursuant to Article 17 of the Statistics Act and can be applied to construction cost calculations starting from this day.

                                                                                                                Lee Soo-il