Korean conglomerates reveal hiring plans amid economic uncertainty for youth

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Korean conglomerates reveal hiring plans amid economic uncertainty for youth

Published: 18 Sep. 2025, 19:16 Updated: 18 Sep. 2025, 20:27

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

President Lee Jae Myung, second from left, converses with heads of major conglomerates during a meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul on June 13. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

Korea’s major conglomerates have announced large-scale hiring plans, opening their doors to job seekers despite an uncertain economic environment. The announcements, beginning with Samsung on Thursday, are seen as a response to President Lee Jae Myung’s call for companies to expand youth employment.

Companies plan to focus recruitment on future industries such as AI, batteries and biotechnology. The combined hiring target of the seven conglomerates that disclosed their plans amounts to about 40,000 jobs this year.

Samsung said it will hire 60,000 people over the next five years, or about 12,000 annually, to drive growth in future industries and create youth employment opportunities. Recruitment will concentrate on core businesses such as semiconductors, as well as biotechnology and AI.

Samsung remains the only one of the top four conglomerates to retain a rolling recruitment system. Currently, 19 affiliates — including Samsung Electronics, Samsung C&T and Samsung Biologics — are conducting fall recruitment.

“Samsung will faithfully carry out its investment and hiring plans in Korea to help the nation overcome its economic challenges,” Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong told Lee Jae Myung during a meeting with business leaders on June 13.

SK Group will hire about 8,000 new employees this year, split between 4,000 in the first half and a similar number in the second half. Recruitment will emphasize engineering talent to strengthen competitiveness in AI, semiconductors and digital transformation. SK hynix, for example, will begin recruiting new employees on Monday.

Hyundai Motor Group plans to hire 7,200 young workers this year and is considering expanding the number to 10,000 next year, focusing on electric vehicles and software-defined vehicles (SDVs).

Visitors are seen during a job fair held at a university in Busan on Sept. 10. [YONHAP]

LG Group said it will hire 10,000 people over three years, or 3,000 to 4,000 annually, with about 7,000 new graduates among them. Recruitment will target growth areas such as AI, biotechnology and clean technology.

Posco will hire 15,000 workers over five years, including 3,000 this year — 400 more than previously announced. Hanwha Group will recruit 3,500 employees in the second half in sectors including defense, aerospace, shipbuilding, marine and finance, up from 2,100 in the first half.

HD Hyundai will hire about 1,500 people this year, part of a plan to hire 10,000 employees across 19 affiliates by 2029. Shinsegae Group will open recruitment on Friday for new employees at 10 affiliates, including Emart and Shinsegae Department Store.

The wave of announcements comes just two days after President Lee’s special request.

A job seeker looks around employment notices with a resume in hand at a job fair held at Coex in Gangnam District, southern Seoul on June 5. [YONHAP]

“Even though Korea’s overall employment rate is at a record high, youth employment has declined for 16 consecutive months, and the outlook for the second half is not bright,” Lee Jae Myung said at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. “I make a special request to companies: resolving youth unemployment requires effort not only from government but also from businesses.”

“It is customary for major companies to announce new hiring plans following the launch of a new administration,” said an industry insider. “Despite prolonged global economic uncertainty, they are trying to maintain or expand hiring, especially in future industries.”

The business community also announced a large-scale job fair. The Federation of Korean Industries said it will co-host the 2025 Win-Win Cooperation Job Fair with the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Korea Commission for Corporate Partnership on Oct. 21 at Coex Magok in Gangseo District, western Seoul.

Eleven major groups, including Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor and LG will take part, along with more than 300 partner companies. This marks the first joint fair of its kind in 15 years.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHOI SUN-EUL [[email protected]]