(2nd LD) S. Korea adds 193,000 jobs in 2025 amid sluggish manufacturing, construction

▲ This file photo, taken Nov. 6, 2025, shows a job fair in Seoul. (Yonhap)

▲ Bin Hyun-joon, an official from the Ministry of Data and Statistics, speaks to reporters at the government complex in Sejong on Jan. 14, 2025. (Yonhap)

(2nd LD) jobless rate-2025 tally

(2nd LD) S. Korea adds 193,000 jobs in 2025 amid sluggish manufacturing, construction

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By Kim Han-joo

SEOUL, Jan. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea maintained on-year employment growth at the 100,000 level for the second consecutive year in 2025, as job losses continued in the manufacturing and construction sectors and youth employment remained sluggish, data showed Wednesday.

The number of employed people increased 193,000, or 0.7 percent, from a year earlier to 28.77 million last year, according to the data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics.

Job creation had been more robust in the immediate post-pandemic period, with 816,000 new positions added in 2022, marking the largest on-year increase in 22 years.

However, the pace slowed to 327,000 in 2023 and weakened further in 2024, when only 159,000 jobs were added.

By sector, the construction industry shed 125,000 jobs in 2025 amid a prolonged downturn, marking the largest decline since the revision of industrial classifications in 2013.

The manufacturing sector, considered the backbone of the economy, lost 73,000 jobs, its largest on-year decline since 2019, when 81,000 positions were cut.

The agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector shed 107,000 jobs.

In contrast, employment increased in health and social welfare services by 237,000, reaching a record 3.18 million workers.

Professional, scientific and technical services gained 54,000 jobs, and financial and insurance services added 44,000 positions.

By age group, employment among people aged 60 and older rose by 345,000 on-year, the largest increase among all age brackets.

In contrast, jobs for those in their 20s fell by 170,000, partly reflecting the shrinking population of the age group.

The number of people reporting they were out of work to simply take a break rose by 88,000 to 2.56 million in 2025.

Among them, 309,000 were in their 30s, the highest figure since statistics for the category were first compiled in 2003.

"In the past, many people in their 30s left the workforce for child care or household duties due to marriage or childbirth, but today, more are categorized as taking a break," Bin Hyun-joon, a ministry official, told reporters.

He further said recruitment for experienced positions and ad hoc hiring practices tend to disadvantage young job seekers.

The employment rate for those aged 15 and older gained 0.2 percentage point on-year to 62.9 percent in 2025.

The employment rate for people aged 15-64 added 0.3 percentage point from a year earlier to 69.8 percent.

In December alone, the country added 168,000 jobs from a year earlier, sharply down from the 225,000 on-year increase recorded in November.

The December figure marks the smallest on-year growth since August, when 166,000 jobs were added.

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