Tag: unemployment

unemployment

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One in three new Ph.D. graduates are jobless, marking highest level on record

A record 33.3 percent of Korea’s newly-awarded doctoral graduates were unemployed or economically inactive last year, with younger degree holders and women facing the steepest challenges.

2026.6.29

Office workers walk across Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno District, central Seoul on May 20, 2025. [YONHAP]

Korea adds 74,000 jobs in April, lowest in 16 months

Korea added 74,000 jobs in April, marking the slowest growth in 16 months in the aftermath of the Iran war, which led to higher oil prices and weaker consumer sentiment, data showed Wednesday.

2026.5.13

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Job seekers are seen at a job fair held in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang, on March 11. [NEWS1]

Youth unemployment hits 5-year high despite Korea's strong job growth in February

Korea added 234,000 jobs in February, marking the fastest on-year growth in five months, though a slump in youth employment and the construction sector persisted, data showed Wednesday.

2026.3.18

Job seekers attend a job fair in Busan on Nov. 10, 2025. [YONHAP]

Korea adds 108,000 jobs in January, smallest growth in 13 months

Korea added slightly more than 100,000 jobs in January, marking the slowest on-year growth in 13 months, data showed Wednesday. The number of employed people rose by 108,000, or 0.4 percent, from a year earlier to 27.99 million last month.

2026.2.11

Job seekers speak with company representatives at a job fair at Yeungnam University in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang on Sept. 9. [NEWS1]

Record number of Koreans in their 30s took a 'rest' in August, employment data finds

A record number of Koreans in their 30s said they weren’t working or job hunting and were “just resting" in August. According to employment data for August released on Wednesday, 328,000 people in their 30s categorized themselves as “resting.”

2025.9.10

A jobseeker takes part in a counselling session at a job center in Seoul on Nov. 6, 2024. [YONHAP]

Young people drop from work force amid growing dissatisfaction with office life

According to the ministry on Monday, the number of these so-called “resting youth” has reached a record high of between 400,000 and 500,000 each month this year. Statistics Korea data show that 73.6 percent of them previously had work experience.

2025.9.2

A student reads job notices posted on a bulletin board on a university campus on Dec. 29, 2021. [NEWS1]

'Resting' young people have cost Korea $38.3B since 2019, report claims

Young Koreans who are not employed or seeking jobs have cost the economy $38.3 billion in five years, according to the Federation of Korean Industries.

2025.8.18

Young Koreans are 'taking breaks' from their jobs — and their parents aren't sure when they can retire

A growing number of young Koreans are exiting the work force, impacting older generations and contributing to labor market challenges and potential social isolation.

2025.7.16

A jobseeker checks job postings at an employment center in Seoul on Nov. 13, 2024. [NEWS1]

75% of unemployed young people say Korea doesn't have enough quality jobs, survey finds

More than three out of four unemployed young Koreans believe there is a lack of quality employment opportunities in the country, a survey showed Tuesday.

2025.4.22

A job seeker looks at postings at an employment and welfare center in Mapo District, western Seoul, on March 17. [YONHAP]

Resurgence in long-term unemployment hits young Koreans hard

The number of young Koreans facing long-term unemployment rose in 2024, breaking a four-year streak of improvement and raising alarm about the nation’s labor market, according to a report released Tuesday by the Korea Enterprises Federation (KEF).

2025.4.8