"Can't Even Find Part-Time Jobs" COVID Blue Worsens Amid Uncontrolled Infections

COVID-19 Resurgence Deepens Job Search Difficulties
Job Seekers Sigh Amid COVID Employment Freeze
"Anxiety, Depression"... COVID Blue Phenomenon Becomes Social Issue

On the 24th, candidates lined up with social distancing to enter the venue for the SK Group's first half-year new college graduate recruitment written exam, the Comprehensive Competency Test (SKCT), held at Seokyeong University in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. According to government COVID-19 prevention guidelines, candidates must wear gloves and masks during the exam. The exam results will be announced after the 1st of next month. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] #Park Yujin (28, female, pseudonym), a chef working at a hotel buffet in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, is enduring a frustrating daily life. Due to the resurgence of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the hotel buffet has entered an indefinite suspension of operations, forcing her into unpaid leave. Not knowing when she will be able to return to work, Park has looked for short-term contract jobs, but even that has proven difficult. She said, "I have had no income for over a month and tried to find even a short-term part-time job, but nothing suitable is available," adding, "I feel anxious not knowing how long this will continue."

As the COVID-19 situation resurges mainly in the metropolitan area, the job search difficulties are intensifying. This employment crisis has also brought the phenomenon of "Corona Blue" (anxiety and depression caused by COVID-19) to the forefront as a social issue.

A survey on Corona Blue conducted by the employment portal Incruit from the 28th of last month to the 2nd of this month, targeting 805 adult men and women, found that 69.2% of respondents experienced anxiety and depression due to COVID-19, i.e., Corona Blue. The most commonly reported symptoms were: first, "anxiety caused by job reductions and hiring freezes (16.5%)," and second, "depression due to decreasing income (13.9%)." Professor Kwak Geum-ju of Seoul National University's Department of Psychology stated, "Stress and fatigue increase due to the uncertainty of when the COVID-19 situation will end and the negative information surrounding it."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The prolonged COVID-19 crisis has led to worsening employment difficulties, leaving job seekers with no choice but to sigh. Typically, job seekers first turn to less preferred occupations. Examples include delivery loading and unloading, clinical research, and buffet serving?jobs that operate on a "same-day pay" principle. However, following a cluster infection at a Coupang logistics center, both job seekers and logistics companies seem to avoid each other. Many large restaurants like buffets have also suspended operations, removing the need to hire short-term workers. When financial difficulties persist, the most certain way to reduce labor costs is workforce reduction. The first targets are non-regular workers such as contract and part-time employees.

Looking at the report "Employment Changes by Industry and Implications Due to COVID-19" released by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, the number of employed persons decreased by 229,000 in March compared to the previous month. The institute analyzed, "The problem of hiring reduction is more serious than unemployment due to COVID-19," and warned, "There is concern about the shock to young people trying to enter the labor market." Supporting this, the recent recruitment of 240 part-time workers in Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province, attracted 6,497 applicants, resulting in a competition ratio of 27.1 to 1.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.