
Workers in Their 60s Now Outnumber 40-Somethings on Korean Construction Sites (Image supported by ChatGPT)
SEOUL, May 23, 2025 (Korea Bizwire) – For the first time, the number of construction engineers aged 60 and older in South Korea has surpassed those in their 40s, signaling an accelerating demographic shift in the country’s construction sector.
According to a report released Thursday by the Korea Construction Policy Institute, as of February 2025, 277,432 construction technicians aged 60 and above were registered with the Korea Construction Engineers Association, compared to 258,143 in their 40s. This marks a significant reversal from just two months earlier, when those in their 40s still outnumbered the older group.
It is the first time since age-based workforce data was tracked in 2020 that senior engineers have overtaken their younger counterparts in this category. The institute attributed the shift to a steady decline in younger entrants into the industry, coupled with the natural aging of workers who were previously in their 50s.

Age Distribution of Construction Technicians. (Image courtesy of the Korea Construction Personnel Policy Research Institute)
The younger cohorts are shrinking fast. Engineers in their 20s now make up just 3.2% of the construction workforce, totaling 33,211 individuals—a 20.5% drop from December 2024. Those in their 30s also declined by 2.1% over the same period.
Meanwhile, the number of engineers in their 50s increased slightly to 342,934, and those over 50 now comprise nearly 60% of the entire workforce. The average age of construction engineers has risen steadily, reaching 52.2 years in early 2025, up from 47.7 in 2018 and surpassing 50 for the first time in 2023.
Industry insiders confirm that aging is being felt acutely on job sites. “It’s rare to see young Korean workers unless they’re foreign,” one construction firm official said. “Nowadays, being in your 50s means you’re considered relatively young on site.”
Amid the aging trend, the proportion of female construction engineers continues to rise. The latest figures show women now make up 15.2% of the field, totaling 155,958—an increase of over 9,400 from December 2024. This marks a steady upward trend from 14.1% at the end of 2023.
Still, the gender gap remains stark when compared to other industries: women represent 44.3% of the workforce across all sectors, underscoring the construction industry’s ongoing imbalance.
With the construction workforce aging rapidly and the inflow of younger talent dwindling, experts say South Korea’s building sector faces a looming labor shortage that will require targeted policy and structural reform.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)