Young job seekers face increasingly lengthy periods of unemployment. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jul. 17 (Korea Bizwire) – For the first time in 18 years, private sector jobs have surpassed government positions as the most sought-after career path among South Korean youth, according to a new government report.
The shift comes as young job seekers face increasingly lengthy periods of unemployment, with the average time to secure a first job reaching a record high of 11.5 months.
The Statistics Korea report, released on July 16, paints a challenging picture of the job market for South Koreans aged 15 to 29.
The data reveals that one in five unemployed youth has been without work for over three years, highlighting the persistent difficulties in entering the workforce.
“This year marks a significant change in job preferences among young Koreans,” said Lim Kyung-eun, head of the employment statistics division at Statistics Korea, during a press briefing in Sejong.
“We’re seeing a clear shift away from the traditionally coveted government positions.”
The survey found that 29.7% of young job seekers are now preparing for positions in private companies, an increase of 2.4 percentage points from last year.
Conversely, the proportion of those preparing for general government jobs fell by 6.1 percentage points to 23.2%, the lowest level since the survey began in 2006.
This decline in interest for public sector employment is reflected in both percentage and absolute numbers. The number of young people preparing for civil service exams dropped by 4,000 to 131,000 compared to the same period last year.
The report also highlights a growing trend of prolonged job searches. The average time to secure the first job for young wage earners has increased by 1.1 months from last year, reaching 11.5 months — the longest duration since the survey began in 2004.
More alarmingly, the proportion of those taking over three years to find employment rose from 8.4% to 9.7%.
Educational background plays a significant role in job search duration. High school graduates or those with less education now take an average of 17.6 months to find their first job, an increase of 2.8 months from last year.
College graduates also saw a slight increase, from 8.2 to 8.3 months.
The total number of unemployed youth reached 1.29 million in May, an increase of 29,000 from last year. Of these, 238,000 had been unemployed for over three years, a rise of 20,000 from 2023.
Interestingly, the survey noted a significant increase in youth engaged in “other activities” during their unemployment period, including leisure and preparation for further education.
This category saw a 5.9 percentage point increase to 22.1%. Statistics Korea attributes this rise partly to more young people preparing for graduate programs or law school.
The average time spent in university, including three-year programs, also reached a new high of 4 years and 3.8 months, an increase of 0.5 months from last year.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
