(21) Employee benefits and pensions
The Group recognizes the undiscounted amount of short-term employee benefits expecting payment in exchange for the services, when employee renders services. Also, the Group recognizes expenses and liabilities in the case of accumulating compensated absences, when the employees render service that increases their entitlement to future compensated absences. Though the Group may have no legal obligation to pay a bonus, considering some cases, the Group has a practice of paying bonuses. In such cases, the Group has a constructive obligation, and thus recognizes expenses and liabilities when the employees render service.
The Group is operating defined contribution retirement pension plans and defined benefit retirement pension plans. Contributions to defined contribution retirement pension plans are recognized as an expense when employees have rendered service entitling them to the contributions. For defined benefit retirement pension plans, the cost of providing benefits is determined using the Projected Unit Credit Method, with actuarial valuations being carried out at the end of each reporting period. Remeasurement, comprising actuarial gains and losses, the effect of the changes to the asset ceiling (if applicable) and the return on plan assets (excluding interest), is reflected immediately in the statement of financial position with a charge or credit recognized in other comprehensive income in the period in which they occur.
Remeasurement recognized in other comprehensive income is reflected immediately in retained earnings and will not be reclassified to profit or loss. Past service cost is recognized in profit or loss in the period of a plan amendment. Net interest is calculated by applying the discount rate at the beginning of the period to the net defined benefit liability or asset. Defined benefit costs are composed of service cost (including current service cost, past service cost, as well as gains and losses on curtailments and settlements), net interest expense (income), and remeasurement.
The Group presents the service cost and net interest expense (income) components in profit or loss, and the remeasurement component in other comprehensive income. Curtailment gains and losses are accounted for as past service costs.
The retirement benefit obligation recognized in the consolidated statement of financial position represents the actual deficit or surplus in the Group’s defined benefit plans. Any surplus resulting from this calculation is limited to the present value of any economic benefits available in the form of refunds from the plans or reductions in future contributions to the plans.
Liabilities for termination benefits are recognized at the earlier of either 1) when the Group has become not able to cancel its proposal for termination benefits, or 2) when the Group has recognized the cost of restructuring that accompanies the payment of termination benefits.