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Young Koreans See Smallest Gains in Real Income Over Past Decade

Young Koreans See Smallest Gains in Real Income Over Past Decade

SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Korea Bizwire) — South Koreans in their 20s have seen the weakest real income growth of any generation over the past decade, according to a new analysis, underscoring concerns over job quality and rising living costs that continue to weigh heavily on the country’s youth. The Korea Economic Association (HanKyungHyup) reported on [...]

Conglomerates Increasingly Favor ‘Experienced Freshmen’ in Hiring

Conglomerates Increasingly Favor ‘Experienced Freshmen’ in Hiring

SEOUL, Sept. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s largest companies are showing a stronger preference for so-called “experienced freshmen,” or new hires with prior work experience, according to a survey released Sunday by the Korea Economic Research Institute (FKI). The survey, conducted among 121 of the country’s top 500 firms by revenue, found that 28.1 [...]

From Chips to EVs, South Korea’s Giants Launch Job Push to Power Next Growth Era

From Chips to EVs, South Korea’s Giants Launch Job Push to Power Next Growth Era

SEOUL, Sept. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s biggest conglomerates are ramping up hiring in a coordinated move to bolster future growth sectors and answer government calls for job creation, unveiling plans that together run into tens of thousands of new positions. Samsung Group, the country’s largest business empire, said Thursday it will recruit 60,000 [...]

Over Half of South Korean Graduates Say Experience-Focused Hiring Is a Barrier to Employment

Over Half of South Korean Graduates Say Experience-Focused Hiring Is a Barrier to Employment

SEOUL, June 25 (Korea Bizwire) — More than half of recent South Korean college graduates view the private sector’s growing preference for experienced hires as a major obstacle to entering the job market, according to a new report by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). In its analysis of 144,181 job postings listed [...]

Job Market Shows Signs of Weakening as Job Openings Hit 27-Year Low for May

Job Market Shows Signs of Weakening as Job Openings Hit 27-Year Low for May

SEOUL, June 9 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s labor market showed clear signs of softening last month, with the number of job openings per job seeker hitting its lowest May level since the 1998 IMF crisis, and the growth in employment insurance enrollments falling to a five-year low, government data showed Monday. According to the [...]

New Hires and Job Changers Drop Simultaneously for First Time on Record

New Hires and Job Changers Drop Simultaneously for First Time on Record

SEOUL, June 4 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of employees newly registered for the country’s four major state insurance programs fell to a record low in 2023, marking the second consecutive year of decline, data showed Wednesday. A total of 26.14 million people were registered as employees in 2023, up 0.3 percent, or 88,000 individuals, [...]

South Korea Leads OECD in Elderly Employment, But Job Quality Remains a Concern

South Korea Leads OECD in Elderly Employment, But Job Quality Remains a Concern

SEOUL, May 27 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea has the highest employment rate among people aged 65 and older across the OECD, but the quality of jobs available to the elderly remains alarmingly low, driven by insufficient pension income and limited opportunities to leverage their lifelong careers. According to a recent report released by the National [...]

Retirement Age Proposal Sparks National Divide Between Old and Young

Retirement Age Proposal Sparks National Divide Between Old and Young

SEOUL, May 14 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s political and labor circles are locked in heated debate over a proposal to raise the legal retirement age from 60 to 65, reflecting growing tensions between an aging population and youth employment concerns. The issue, reignited during Labor Day remarks by Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, has polarized [...]

Ph.D. Unemployment Hits Record High: Nearly Half of Young Graduates Jobless

Ph.D. Unemployment Hits Record High: Nearly Half of Young Graduates Jobless

SEOUL, March 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Nearly one in three newly minted Ph.D. holders in South Korea last year remained unemployed, a record-high figure that underscores a tightening job market even for the country’s most highly educated individuals. According to data from Statistics Korea, only 70.4% of Ph.D. recipients who graduated in 2024 had secured employment [...]