韩国企业奖励员工：发不起黄金，改发现金

Core Viewpoint - South Korean pharmaceutical and biotech companies are shifting from gold rewards for long-serving employees to cash bonuses due to soaring gold prices, which have increased financial burdens on these firms [1][2]. Group 1: Company Actions - GC Holdings, a prominent biopharmaceutical company, has changed its employee reward system from gold to cash, offering 5 million KRW for 10 years of service, 10 million KRW for 20 years, 15 million KRW for 30 years, and 20 million KRW for 40 years [1]. - The company "Understanding Gene" has also transitioned from providing gold rewards and additional leave for employees with five years of service to cash bonuses [1]. Group 2: Market Conditions - The international spot gold price and New York Commodity Exchange April gold futures prices surpassed $5,500 per ounce, marking a significant increase from around $4,000 per ounce in just under three months [1]. - In South Korea, the price of gold per "money" has exceeded 1 million KRW, nearly doubling since early 2025 when it was 533,000 KRW per "money" [2]. - The rising gold prices, combined with the depreciation of the Korean won, have further increased the procurement costs for gold, intensifying the financial burden on companies [2].