Seoul: The average annual salary of employees at Samsung Electronics Co. is estimated to have surged nearly 20 percent in 2025 from the previous year, driven by the ongoing artificial intelligence (AI) boom, as per a recent report. This increase comes despite a slight decline in the total number of workers.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the average annual salary of Samsung Electronics employees, excluding registered executives, was estimated at approximately 155 million won (US$106,000), marking a 19.2 percent rise from 130 million won in 2024. The institute's findings were based on an analysis of the company's workforce expenses and the number of employees enrolled in the national pension program.

The South Korean tech giant seems to have curtailed the hiring of new workers in 2025, with the total number of employees enrolled in the national pension program recorded at 124,996, reflecting a 0.5 percent decrease from the previous year. The report noted that despite strong earnings amid the AI boom last year, some global tech companies reduced employment.

The institute highlighted that major conglomerates, including Samsung Electronics, might experience slower employment growth irrespective of improvements in their earnings.