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Part-time workers in South Korea fear kiosks will replace their jobs

August 8, 2017

A majority of part-time workers in South Korea fear they will be replaced by kiosks due to the rise in the minimum wage, with those working at restaurants expressing the most concern, a portal survey said Tuesday, according to The Korea Herald.

Alba, a portal for job seekers, asked 644 members between July 27 and August 1 what they thought of stand-alone computer devices serving as service providers and vendors. 

Sixty-eight percent said the number of kiosks will increase with the rise in hourly wages taking effect next year. The survey indicated 61.2 percent feared part-time jobs will be eliminated due to kiosks. Other problems cited with kiosks included time spent learning to use such devices (12.4 percent), losing opportunity to gain social experience through jobs (12.4 percent) and higher product and service prices due to the cost of operating kiosks (7 percent).