President Yoon Suk Yeol attends the third session of the G20 Leaders' Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Nov. 19, 2024. AFP-Yonhap

President Yoon Suk Yeol will receive an annual salary of approximately 262.5 million won ($178,071) this year, a 3 percent increase from last year, according to the government on Sunday.

According to the Ministry of Personnel Management, the pay of Korean public officials will increase by 3 percent this year from last year, with the same increase applying to the president's salary.

Although Yoon is suspended from his duties, he will continue receiving his salary while remaining in office as president.

Thus, Yoon, who has been off duty since mid-December last year, will see an annual salary increase of about 7.5 million won compared to last year's figure of 254.9 million won.

This means he will be paid 21.8 million won per month before taxes.

Similarly, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, also suspended from duty after the National Assembly impeached him, will receive an annual salary of 235.5 million won.

Over the next six months, Yoon will receive about 130 million won while undergoing the impeachment trial process at the Constitutional Court, despite not performing any presidential duties.

Article 38 of the Constitutional Court Act stipulates that a ruling be made within 180 days of receiving the case, though this is not a legally binding deadline.

The National Assembly impeached Yoon on Dec. 14, suspending Yoon's executive authorities, following his short-lived martial law on Dec. 3.

Although some argue that paying a salary to the impeached president and prime minister violates the "no work, no pay" principle, the issue remains legally unclear, as there is no regulation addressing the payment of salaries to impeached public officials.

"There must be a legal basis to limit the payment of remuneration," an official from the ministry's human resources department said. "There is currently no basis for restrictions, and impeachment is stipulated in the Constitution, so the salary is paid as it is."

In response, Rep. Park Yong-kab of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) proposed a revision to the State Public Officials Act last month to reduce salary for impeached public officials.

DPK Rep. Yoon Joon-byeong also proposed an amendment to cut the remuneration of impeached public officials by up to 50 percent.