This year, the employment landscape in South Korea has shown contrasting trends between rural areas and urban districts. While rural regions have seen increases in both employment numbers and rates, urban districts have experienced declines in both metrics. Employment struggles continue in areas heavily reliant on manufacturing and construction, whereas regions with concentrations in sectors like semiconductors have reported relatively high employment rates.
According to the '2026 Regional Employment Survey Key Indicators' released by the National Data Agency on August 20, the number of employed individuals in urban areas reached 14.27 million, an increase of 96,000 from the previous year. However, the employment rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.5%. In contrast, rural employment rose by 26,000 to 2.13 million, with the employment rate increasing by 0.2 percentage points to 69.4%.
On the other hand, the 75 urban districts reported a decrease of 25,000 in employed individuals, bringing the total to 11.565 million, while the employment rate dropped by 0.2 percentage points to 58.6%. The decline in employment in urban areas is attributed to ongoing struggles in the manufacturing and construction sectors.
Kim Rak-hyun, head of the Employment Statistics Division at the National Data Agency, stated, "The decrease in employment numbers in manufacturing and construction seems to have the most significant impact. These sectors, which predominantly employ men, have been facing poor conditions, leading to a continuous decline in employment numbers for over 20 months, which is reflected in urban areas."
The disparity in employment rates across regions is even more pronounced. Among rural areas, Ulleung County in North Gyeongsang Province had the highest employment rate at 84.3%. It was followed by Sinan County in South Jeolla at 80.4%, Hadong County in South Gyeongsang at 78.1%, and Hwacheon County in Gangwon at 76.1%. Conversely, Gyeongsan City in North Gyeongsang reported the lowest rate at 54.4%, with Dongducheon City in Gyeonggi at 56.8% and Mokpo City in South Jeolla at 57.6%. The gap between Ulleung County and Gyeongsan City was 29.9 percentage points.
In the metropolitan areas, Ongjin County in Incheon had the highest employment rate at 79.7%, followed by Gunwi County in Daegu at 76.6%. Yeongdo District in Busan reported the lowest rate at 48.6%, with Seo District in Daegu at 50.7%. In Seoul, Yeongdeungpo District had an employment rate of 64.3%, while Jongno District stood at 51.8%, showing a difference of 12.5 percentage points.
Sector-specific characteristics also influenced regional employment indicators. The proportion of employed individuals in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries was highest in Uiseong County, North Gyeongsang, at 55.9%, while the highest proportion in manufacturing was in Geoje City, South Gyeongsang, at 40.5%. Construction employment was notably high in Yeosu City, South Jeolla, and retail and accommodation sectors were prominent in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi.
Age-related employment rates revealed significant disparities. The employment rate for individuals aged 65 and older was highest in Cheongsong County, North Gyeongsang, at 79.7%, and Jangsu County, North Jeolla, at 79.1%. In contrast, Yongin City in Gyeonggi had a rate of only 28.0%, while Mokpo City in South Jeolla was at 31.1%. Among the youth, Ulleung County again led with a rate of 77.4%, followed by Wando County in South Jeolla at 67.2%. Geochang County in South Gyeongsang reported a low rate of 20.5%.
The population aged 15 and older in rural areas reached 3.067 million, an increase of 29,000 from the previous year, marking the first increase since 2016. Kim noted that the rural employment rate is at its highest level since the statistics were first compiled in 2013, attributing this to increased support for policies and infrastructure in many rural areas facing population decline.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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