Nearly half of South Korea's salaried workers were paid 2 million won ($1,772) or less in monthly wages during the first six months of this year, government data showed Tuesday.

About 32.6 percent of the country's 19.7 million salaried workers were paid between 1-2 million won per month while 10.4 percent received less than 1 million won, according to the figures by Korea Statistics.

About 27.3 percent were paid 2-3 million won, 14.9 percent 3-4 million won and 14.8 percent over 4 million won. The latest data showed the ratio of salaried workers who were paid over 2 million won rose by 2.8 percentage points this year from a year earlier.The proportion of those who received less than 1 million won and 1-2 million won in monthly wages, meanwhile, fell by 0.8 and 2.0 percentage points, respectively, from the previous year.

Workers in the agriculture and fishery industry were the least paid with 44 percent paid less than 1 million won. About 55.4 percent of facilities managers and 48.4 percent of those working in the lodging and restaurant sector were paid between 1-2 million won. About 35 percent of so-called professionals and those working in the science and technology industry were paid more than four million won.

The comparable figures for employees at financial firms and those working in the public administration, national defense and social welfare sectors were 34.6 percent and 28.2 percent each.

By profession, manual laborers were the least paid with 54 percent having less than 2 million won in monthly wages. The comparable figures for those in the services industry, skilled workers in the agriculture and fishery industries, and sales personnel were 46.2 percent, 42.2 percent and 42.2 percent each.

About 74.6 percent of managers were paid more than 4 million won.

Retailers employed the most workers with 2.31 million, or 8.7 percent of the total salaried workers, followed by restaurants and bars at 2.1 million or 7.9 percent. The education service sector hired 1.92 million or 7.3 percent of all workers. (Yonhap)