Seoul, Nov 12 (NationPress) South Korea witnessed an addition of over 193,000 jobs in October, reflecting a persistent upward trajectory in employment for the year. However, there were ongoing job losses in the manufacturing and construction sectors, alongside a continued struggle for the younger demographic, as reported by government data on Wednesday.

The total number of employed individuals reached 29.04 million last month, marking an increase of 193,000 jobs compared to the previous year, as per data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics, as reported by Yonhap news agency.

This growth highlights a sustained recovery in employment following a brief dip last December when the nation saw a net reduction of 52,000 jobs.

The labor market has shown consistent improvement this year, with job additions of 245,000 in May, followed by 183,000 in June, and a notable surge to 312,000 in September.

Despite this overall growth, employment figures in the manufacturing and construction sectors have remained weak.

In October, the manufacturing sector, which is often viewed as the backbone of the South Korean economy, lost 51,000 jobs, marking its downturn for the 16th consecutive month.

The construction industry also faced challenges, shedding 123,000 jobs, leading to a decline for the 18th consecutive month.

The overall job growth last month was primarily driven by increased hiring among older adults.

Employment for those aged 60 and above surged by 334,000 compared to the previous year, while job opportunities for individuals in their 30s rose by 80,000.

Conversely, younger age groups experienced significant job losses.

Positions for individuals aged between 15 and 29 declined by 163,000 in the last month, according to the ministry.

The employment rate for this age group fell by 1 percentage point to 44.6 percent, extending its decline for 18 consecutive months.

“An increase in recruitment for experienced roles and sporadic hiring tends to disadvantage young job seekers,” stated Gong Mi-sook, a ministry official, during a press briefing. “The weakness in the manufacturing sector, which predominantly employs younger individuals, also plays a role.”

The count of economically inactive individuals increased by 38,000 compared to the previous year, reaching 16.12 million.

Among these, those who reported being out of work simply to take a break rose by 135,000 to 2.58 million, as per agency data.

Notably, the count of individuals in their 30s who reported being out of work for rest climbed by 24,000 to 334,000, the highest since the data collection began.

“Overall, employment and labor force participation rates among individuals in their 30s remain relatively robust,” Gong noted. “While there has been a decline in the number of people citing childcare or household duties as reasons for inactivity, more individuals are reporting that they are simply taking a break.”