[THE INVESTOR] An increasing number of salaried workers are making extra money outside of their main jobs, leading to higher state health insurance payments, according to statistics from health authorities on July 11.

According to the statistics, 39,143 workers were ordered to pay more insurance money in 2015 because of the income they gained from business operations, dividends, leases and other non-job sources, numbers provided by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Health Insurance Service showed. This is an increase from 32,818 in 2012, and authorities estimate that the number will exceed 40,000 by the end of this year.


This income group is subject to higher health insurance payments under the current law that collects more premiums from people whose total annual non-job income exceeds 72 million won (US$62,446). The stipulation was challenged in courtrooms by people ordered to pay the higher premiums, but judges have ruled against them. A lawyer lost his petition last November against the state order for him to pay additional 22 million won in insurance for his extra income of 981.61 million won.

The Health Ministry is pushing to adjust down the bar for collecting more insurance premiums to workers who earn more than 20 million won a year outside of their employment. The ministry estimates that some 270,000 people will have to pay higher premiums from the adjustment.

(theinvestor@heraldcorp.com)