As preferences for experienced candidates and an increase in open recruitment make it harder for young people to find jobs, half of recent graduates are reported to be idle for over a year. The proportion of long-term unemployed youth has also reached a record high.
According to the 'May 2026 Labor Force Survey for Youth' released by the National Data Agency on July 23, the population of individuals aged 15 to 29 decreased by 152,000 from the same month last year, totaling 7.82 million.
The youth participation rate in the labor force stands at 47.2%, down 2.3 percentage points from a year ago. During the same period, the number of employed youth fell by 255,000 to 3.427 million, with the employment rate dropping to 43.8%, a decrease of 2.4 percentage points.
As of May this year, the number of graduates aged 15 to 29 decreased by 171,000 from the previous year, totaling 4.003 million. Among them, 2.76 million are employed, a drop of 202,000, while the number of unemployed increased by 31,000 to 1.244 million.
The number of young people who are unable to find jobs after graduation is steadily rising. The proportion of youth unemployed for over a year has increased by 2.0 percentage points from the same period last year, reaching 46.6%.
Kim Rak-hyun, head of the Employment Statistics Division at the National Data Agency, noted, "This is the highest rate since the 51.7% recorded during the global financial crisis in 2009," adding that the increase in the proportion of four-year college graduates has lengthened the time it takes to graduate, and the rise in the number of students taking leaves of absence for job preparation or qualification exams has contributed to this trend.
The percentage of youth who have been unemployed for three years or more has also risen. As of May, the unemployment rate among young people stands at 19.4%, the highest since the relevant statistics began in 2007.
The average time taken to graduate from college has increased by 1.3 months from the previous year, now totaling 4 years and 5.7 months. The proportion of graduates with work experience after graduation is at its lowest since 2004, at 84.8%.
Kim added, "In May, the youth participation rate and employment rate declined, while the unemployment rate increased. The time taken to graduate from college has lengthened, and the proportion of graduates with work experience has decreased."
As the job market remains challenging, many young people are turning their attention to civil service exams. Among the non-economically active population, 600,000 individuals prepared for employment exams in the past week, with 22.1% focusing on civil service positions. This marks a 3.9 percentage point increase compared to the previous year, indicating a shift in trend for the first time in five years.
Kim noted, "The proportion of general civil service candidates has rebounded in just one year, likely due to improvements in the treatment of lower-level civil servants, which has led to an increase in both the number of applicants and the exam participation rate."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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