The government says next year's minimum wage will be determined by the existing system that involves the Minimum Wage Commission acting as the sole decision-making body. 

The idea of introducing a two-tier process was proposed earlier but failed to pan out. 

In a briefing Monday, the Employment and Labor Ministry said it will quickly complete the reorganization of the Minimum Wage Commission after its chief and eight members who represent public interest groups expressed their intent to step down early this month.

The collective resignation of the public interest representatives is the first since South Korea adopted the minimum wage rule in 1988.

Other members of the tripartite commission represent labor and management.

The ministry said it will seek to appoint new members within this month in order to avoid any setbacks in deliberations for next year.

Minimum wage discussions typically begin in April, but due to a series of problems, negotiations have not even started this year. 

Considering that the minimum wage level for the following year is formally disclosed on August fifth, it must be decided by mid-July at the latest, given administrative procedures.