Business · Economy · 32 mins ago
South Korea Adds 139,000 Jobs in October, but Youth Employment Falls
South Korea added 139,000 jobs in October compared with a year earlier, keeping job growth above 100,000 for the fourth straight month.
The country had 29.17 million employed people, and job growth turned positive in June after employment fell in May.
Youth employment continued to weaken, with the number of employed people aged 15 to 29 down 196,000 from a year earlier.
Their employment rate fell to 42.9 percent, its 30th consecutive monthly decline.
Health care and social welfare added 249,000 jobs, while accommodation and restaurants lost 137,000 and construction lost 42,000.
The overall jobless rate fell to 2 percent, but the number of people not economically active rose by 179,000 to 16.29 million.
The figures show job gains alongside continued weakness for young workers and some industries; no further steps were specified.
South Korea added 139,000 jobs in October compared with a year earlier, bringing the number of employed people to 29.17 million.
Job growth stayed above 100,000 for a fourth consecutive month.
Employment among people aged 15 to 29 fell by 196,000, marking the 48th consecutive monthly decline.
The youth employment rate fell 1.7 percentage points to 42.9 percent, its lowest October level since 2020, according to Donga Ilbo.
Health care and social welfare added 249,000 jobs, while accommodation and food services lost 137,000.
- Who
- South Korea’s workforce. The government’s Ministry of Data and Statistics reported the figures.
- What
- Employment rose by 139,000 year on year in October, while employment among people aged 15 to 29 fell by 196,000.
- When
- October 2026; the figures were announced on November 11.
- Where
- South Korea.
- Why
- The sources cite continued losses in accommodation and food services, alongside employer preference for experienced workers and the spread of rolling recruitment, as factors affecting youth employment.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Employment fell by 40,000, the first decline in 17 months.
Job growth turned positive after May’s decline.
Employment rose by 139,000 year on year, while employment among people aged 15 to 29 fell by 196,000.
The National Data and Statistics Office released the October employment figures.
- Total employment
- 29.17 million people in October
- Year-on-year job growth
- 139,000
- Youth employment change
- Down 196,000; 48th consecutive monthly decline
- Youth employment rate
- 42.9%, down 1.7 percentage points year on year
- Health care and social welfare jobs
- Up 249,000
- Accommodation and food services jobs
- Down 137,000
4 sources
What people are saying
Employment continued to decline in accommodation and food services, agriculture and fisheries, and construction, but continued to grow in health and welfare, transportation and warehousing, and business facilities, resulting in job growth in the 100,000s for the fourth consecutive month.
The decline in the number of employed young people is greater than the decline in the youth population, so the employment rate is falling.