Employment falls for 1st time in 17 months as youth jobs dwindle

By Kim Yeon-jae Posted : June 11, 2026, 08:29 Updated : June 11, 2026, 08:45
Jobseekers look a job bulletin board at a job fair in southern Seou on April 28, 2026. AJP Yoo Na-hyun.
SEOUL, June 11 (AJP) - South Korea's employment fell for the first time in 17 months in May, largely due to a sharp decline in youth employment and manufacturing jobs, according to data released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics on Thursday.

The number of employed people aged 15 and older stood at 29.12 million last month, down 40,000 from a year earlier.

Youth employment weakened sharply, with the number of employed people aged 15 to 29 declining by 255,000 to 3.43 million, and their employment rate falling 2.4 percentage points to 43.8 percent.

Manufacturing jobs, a key pillar of the country's economy, fell by 140,000 from a year earlier to 4.30 million, resulting in the overall decline in the labor market.

Employment in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector decreased by 121,000, while professional, scientific and technical services shed 89,000 jobs.
Kim Yeon-jae

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