September employment rises 113,000 — manufacturing turns positive for first time in 27 months

Youth, construction sectors remain weak; gov't vows to expand existing measures and develop new policy

A job-matching event connecting young jobseekers with social solidarity economy companies is held at Seoul City Hall on Friday. [Yonhap]
A job-matching event connecting young jobseekers with social solidarity economy companies is held at Seoul City Hall on Friday. [Yonhap]

The government plans to push a "National Jobs Project" aimed at expanding private and public job creation and training opportunities. The initiative seeks to sustain employment growth and ensure that the gains from economic expansion translate into jobs that people can feel in their daily lives. The number of employed persons rose for a third consecutive month by more than 100,000 in September, though weakness persisted in vulnerable sectors such as youth employment and construction.

Kwon Dae-young, first vice minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Kwon Chang-jun, vice minister of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, convened the 11th joint interministerial jobs task force meeting Friday morning at Government Complex Seoul to review September employment trends and policy priorities.

"We will swiftly draw up a plan for the 'National Jobs Project' — one that includes private and public jobs as well as sufficient training opportunities — by mobilizing the full capacity of related ministries, so that the fruits of economic growth can be felt concretely in people's lives," Kwon Dae-young said. "We will not only expand existing measures but also actively develop new policy."

The number of employed persons in September rose 113,000 from a year earlier. The monthly gain had widened from 108,000 in July to 184,000 in August before narrowing again in September, but remained above 100,000 for a third consecutive month.

The government attributed part of the smaller September gain to a base effect from last year, when employment rose by 312,000 in the same month. Officials noted that employment has continued to grow, with the number of employed persons rising for four consecutive months on a month-on-month basis as well.

By sector, manufacturing employment rose 16,000 from a year earlier, turning positive for the first time in 27 months after falling 38,000 in August. The decline in agriculture, forestry and fisheries employment also narrowed, from 109,000 in August to 94,000 in September.

Services employment, however, saw its year-on-year gain shrink from 345,000 in August to 221,000 in September. The decline in construction employment widened from 32,000 to 48,000 over the same period.

By employment type, the increase in regular wage workers expanded from 180,000 in August to 253,000 in September. The decline among temporary and daily workers deepened.

The youth employment rate fell 1.1 percentage points from a year earlier, a steeper drop than the 1.0 percentage-point decline recorded in August. However, the number of young people classified as "resting" — neither working nor actively seeking work — fell 44,000 from a year earlier, marking eight consecutive months of decline.

The government assessed that difficulties in youth employment, construction and agriculture, forestry and fisheries are likely to persist, and warned that heightened tensions in the Middle East could weigh on employment going forward. It plans to continue monitoring the jobs situation in struggling sectors and develop responses covering industrial vitality, workforce development, job creation and startup support, working condition improvements, and employment base expansion.

"We will actively push the 'National Jobs Project' together with related ministries to broaden opportunities for more people to work and to ensure that the warmth of employment is felt by all," Kwon Chang-jun said.


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