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브레이크뉴스 문홍철 기자= 자영업자 54.4%가 내년 최저임금을 동결 또는 인하해야한다고 응답했다.
26일 한국경제인협회에 따르면 모노리서치에 의뢰해 전국 자영업자 500명을 대상으로 최저임금에 대한 인식조사를 실시한 결과, 자영업자의 과반(54.4%)은 내년 최저임금을 ‘동결(43.4%) 또는 인하(11.0%)’해야 한다고 답했다.
적정 최저임금 인상 수준에 대한 의견을 구체적으로 살펴보면, △동결(43.4%) △1% 이상 3% 미만(17.2%) △3% 이상 6% 미만(13.4%) △인하(11.0%) △6% 이상 9% 미만(8.2%) 순이었다.
내년 최저임금을 동결 또는 인하해야 한다는 응답 비중을 업종별로 살펴보면, 숙박·음식점업(67.3%)이 가장 높았으며, △도·소매업(54.7%) △부동산업(54.5%) △제조업(53.2%) 등이었다.
자영업자의 48.0%는 현재의 최저임금(2024년 최저시급 9860원)도 이미 경영에 큰 부담으로 작용하고 있다고 답했다. 부담이 없다고 응답한 비중은 14.4%에 불과했다.
현재의 최저임금 수준이 경영에 부담된다고 응답한 비중을 업종별로 살펴보면 △제조업 62.5% △숙박·음식점업 61.3% △도·소매업 47.8% △부동산업 45.5% 순이었다.
내년도 최저임금 인상 시 고용에 미치는 영향을 묻는 질문에서 자영업자의 절반(48.0%)은 현재도 이미 고용여력이 없다고 응답했으며, 최저임금을 1~3% 미만 인상 시 9.8%, 3~6% 미만 인상 시 11.4%가 고용을 포기하거나 기존 직원 해고를 고려할 것이라고 응답했다.
‘현재 고용여력 없음’이라고 응답한 자영업자 비중을 업종별로 살펴보면 제조업이 59.4%로 가장 높았으며, △금융업, 건축업 등 기타(57.1%) △부동산업(54.5%) △예술·스포츠·서비스업(51.9%) 등이었다.
최저임금이 얼마나 인상되면 판매가격을 인상할 것이냐는 물음에 대해서는 자영업자 10명 중 4명(37.8%)은 현재 최저임금 수준에서도 이미 판매가격 인상 계획을 가지고 있다고 답했으며, 최저임금을 1~3% 미만 인상 시 16.0%, 3~6% 미만 인상 시 16.2%가 판매가격 인상을 고려할 것이라고 답했다.
‘현재 가격인상 예정’이라고 응답한 비중을 업종별로 살펴보면 △부동산업 45.5% △운수 및 창고업 42.9% △기타 42.9% △도·소매업 39.4% △예술·스포츠·여가서비스업 38.5% 순이었다.
한경협은 원재료, 임대료 등 원가상승 지속으로 자영업자들의 경영 부담이 가중되고 있는 상황에서 최저임금 인상에 따른 운영비용 부담은 판매가격을 높여 물가를 자극하는 부작용이 나타날 수 있다고 분석했다.
내수침체 장기화에 따른 매출 부진에 더하여 원자재비, 인건비 등 각종 비용부담까지 상승하면서 일부 자영업자들은 한계상황에 놓인 것으로 보인다.
자영업자의 월평균 소득수준을 살펴보면 자영업자 4명 중 1명(25.4%)은 최저임금(월 206만740원, 주40시간 근로 기준) 수준도 못 버는 것으로 나타났다. 이어 △250만 원 이상 300만 원 미만(23.8%) △350만 원 이상 400만 원 미만(16.0%) △최저임금 수준 이상 250만 원 미만(15.2%) 등이었다.
폐업을 고려하게 되는 최저임금 인상률을 묻는 질문에 대해 자영업자 34.2%는 이미 현재 한계상황에 도달했으며, 최저임금을 1~3% 미만 인상할 경우 6.6%, 3~6% 미만 인상할 경우 7.2%가 폐업을 고려할 것이라고 응답했다.
자영업자들은 현행 최저임금 제도와 관련하여 개선이 시급한 과제로 △업종별·지역별 최저임금 차등적용(30.6%) △경제상황 등을 고려한 인상률 제한(23.2%) △사용자 지불능력 등 최저임금 결정기준) 보완(18.0%) 등을 지목했다.
이상호 한경협 경제산업본부장은 “고물가, 내수부진 장기화 등으로 가계소비가 위축돼 자영업자들이 한계상황에 내몰리고 있는 상황에서 최저임금 인상은 인건비 부담을 가중시켜 경영 애로를 심화시킬 것”이라며 “최저임금의 합리적인 결정을 위해 사용자의 지불능력이 최우선으로 고려돼야 하며, 업종별·지역별 차등적용 논의가 구체화 될 필요가 있다”고 말했다.
break9874@naver.com
*아래는 위 기사를 '구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의 [전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.>
54.4% of self-employed people, minimum wage should be frozen or lowered next year… “Currently, there is no room for employment”
Break News Reporter Moon Hong-cheol= 54.4% of self-employed people responded that the minimum wage should be frozen or reduced next year.
According to the Korea Economic Association on the 26th, as a result of conducting a survey on the perception of minimum wage among 500 self-employed people across the country by Monoresearch, the majority of self-employed people (54.4%) said they would freeze (43.4%) or reduce (43.4%) the minimum wage next year. 11.0%) answered that it should be done.
Looking specifically at opinions on the appropriate level of minimum wage increase, △Freeze (43.4%) △1% to less than 3% (17.2%) △3% to less than 6% (13.4%) △Reduce (11.0%) △6% It was followed by more than 9% and less than 8.2%.
When looking at the proportion of responses that said the minimum wage should be frozen or lowered next year by industry, the lodging and restaurant industry was the highest (67.3%), followed by the wholesale and retail industry (54.7%), the real estate industry (54.5%), and the manufacturing industry (53.2%). It was.
48.0% of self-employed people responded that the current minimum wage (minimum hourly wage of 9,860 won in 2024) is already a significant burden on management. Only 14.4% responded that there was no burden.
Looking at the proportion of respondents who said the current minimum wage level is a burden on management by industry, the following were 62.5% in the manufacturing industry, 61.3% in the lodging and restaurant industry, 47.8% in the wholesale and retail industry, and 45.5% in the real estate industry.
When asked about the impact on employment if the minimum wage is increased next year, half of the self-employed (48.0%) responded that they already do not have the capacity to be employed, 9.8% when the minimum wage is increased by less than 1-3%, and 9.8% when the minimum wage is increased by less than 3-6%. 11.4% of cities responded that they would give up hiring or consider laying off existing employees.
When looking at the proportion of self-employed people who responded 'currently no employment capacity' by industry, manufacturing was the highest at 59.4%, followed by other industries such as finance and construction (57.1%), real estate (54.5%), and arts, sports and service industries (51.9%). ), etc.
When asked how much they would increase the selling price if the minimum wage increases, 4 out of 10 self-employed people (37.8%) responded that they already have plans to increase the selling price even at the current minimum wage level, with 1 to 3% raising the minimum wage. 16.0% responded that they would consider increasing the sales price if the price was increased by less than 3-6%, and 16.2% responded that they would consider increasing the sales price by less than 3-6%.
Looking at the proportion of respondents who responded ‘currently planning to increase prices’ by industry, the order was △ real estate industry 45.5% △ transportation and warehousing 42.9% △ other 42.9% △ wholesale and retail industry 39.4% △ arts, sports and leisure service industry 38.5%.
The Korea Economic Cooperation Association analyzed that in a situation where the management burden of self-employed people is increasing due to the continued rise in costs such as raw materials and rent, the operating cost burden caused by the minimum wage increase may have the side effect of stimulating prices by raising sales prices.
In addition to sluggish sales due to the prolonged domestic recession, various cost burdens such as raw material costs and labor costs are rising, and some self-employed people seem to be at a breaking point.
Looking at the average monthly income level of self-employed people, one out of four self-employed people (25.4%) was found to be earning less than the minimum wage (2,067,40 won per month, based on 40 hours of work per week). Next were △2.5 million won to less than 3 million won (23.8%), △3.5 million won to less than 4 million won (16.0%), and △Minimum wage level to less than 2.5 million won (15.2%).
When asked about the minimum wage increase rate that would lead them to consider closing their business, 34.2% of the self-employed said that the current limit has already been reached, with 6.6% saying that if the minimum wage is increased by less than 1-3%, and 7.2% if the minimum wage is increased by less than 3-6%. They responded that they would consider closing the business.
The self-employed are urgently required to improve the current minimum wage system by: △ Differential application of minimum wage by industry and region (30.6%) △ Limiting the increase rate considering economic conditions, etc. (23.2%) △ Complementing (minimum wage determination criteria such as employer's ability to pay) ( 18.0%), etc.
“In a situation where self-employed people are being pushed to the limit due to a decline in household consumption due to high inflation and a prolonged slump in domestic demand, raising the minimum wage will increase the burden of labor costs and deepen management difficulties,” said Lee Sang-ho, head of the Korea Economic Cooperation Cooperation Economic Cooperation and Development Division. “For a reasonable decision, the user’s ability to pay must be considered as a top priority, and discussions on differential application by industry and region need to be fleshed out,” he said.
