Last month, the number of employed individuals increased for the first time in two months, but it still fell short of the 100,000 mark. Weakness in the manufacturing sector and among young job seekers continues, indicating that the employment market remains under pressure.
According to the National Data Agency's 'June 2026 Employment Trends' report released on July 15, the number of employed individuals rose by 63,000 compared to the same month last year, reaching 29,154,000, marking a rebound after two months of decline.
However, the increase in employment has not returned to the levels seen earlier this year. Previously, employment numbers showed increases of 100,000 to 200,000 in the first quarter, but the growth slowed to 74,000 in April and then shifted to a decrease of 40,000 in May.
The employment rate for those aged 15 to 64, as defined by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), stands at 70.2%, a 0.1% decrease from the same month last year, while the unemployment rate remains unchanged at 2.8% compared to June of last year.
Despite the increase in employment, the overall employment rate has declined. Bin Hyun-jun, head of the Social Statistics Bureau at the National Data Agency, noted, "While the number of employed individuals has turned upward, the increase is not significant compared to the overall population growth for those aged 15 and older, leading to a drop in the employment rate."
He added, "In June, the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for peace between the U.S. and Iran alleviated some uncertainties, which likely contributed to job growth in certain sectors. However, it is difficult to predict whether this trend will continue in the future."
By industry, the manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, and construction sectors showed notable declines. Employment in manufacturing decreased by 97,000 (-2.2%) compared to the same period last year, marking the 26th consecutive month of decline. Agriculture and forestry saw a drop of 95,000 (-6.4%), while construction employment fell by 67,000 (-3.4%).
Bin stated, "Although exports are strong, they are primarily driven by semiconductors, which tend to have a lower job creation effect compared to other manufacturing sectors, resulting in a relatively minor impact on overall employment."
The youth job market remains challenging. Employment figures for those aged 15 to 29 show a decrease of 197,000 compared to the same month last year. In contrast, employment for those aged 60 and older increased by 211,000, and those in their 30s saw an increase of 65,000.
The youth employment rate has dropped by 1.7 percentage points to 43.9%, continuing a downward trend for 26 consecutive months. The unemployment rate for this age group is now at 7.0%, an increase of 0.9 percentage points over the past year, marking the largest rise since March of last year.
Additionally, the number of self-employed individuals without employees, referred to as 'solo entrepreneurs,' has also increased, with 72,000 more such workers reported, continuing a trend that has persisted for three months.
The total number of unemployed individuals has risen by 10,000 compared to the same month last year, reaching 834,000. The economically inactive population has increased by 181,000 to 16,009,000, with the number of individuals who are resting also rising by 5,000.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.