First Decline in Public Sector Jobs... 2.87 Million in 2023, Down 0.2%

Announcement of 2023 Public Sector Job Statistics
Impact of Ending COVID-19 Quarantine Personnel Recruitment

The number of public sector jobs in 2023 decreased compared to the previous year for the first time since related statistics began in 2016. This was influenced by the end of temporary quarantine personnel recruitment at schools during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Job seekers participating in the '2025 Public Institution Recruitment Information Fair' held this month at the aT Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul, are receiving recruitment consultations.

According to the "2023 Public Sector Job Statistics" released by Statistics Korea on the 16th, the number of public sector jobs in 2023 was 2,873,000, a decrease of 5,000 jobs (0.2%) compared to the previous year. This marks the first decline since the related statistics began in 2016. Breaking down the details, the number of general government jobs, which accounted for 85.6% of public sector jobs, was 2,459,000, down 5,000 (-0.2%) from the previous year. Jobs in public enterprises remained steady at 414,000 compared to the previous year.

A Statistics Korea official stated, "The increase in public sector jobs has been continuously decreasing recently." They added, "General government jobs decreased last year, but when dividing between civil servants and non-civil servants, civil servants slightly increased while non-civil servants decreased. Among non-civil servants, jobs in the education service sector also declined significantly, as temporary recruitment of school quarantine personnel by the education offices during the COVID-19 outbreak ended."

The ratio of public sector jobs to total employment in 2023 was 10.0%, down 0.1 percentage points from the previous year, marking a decline for two consecutive years. The ratio of public sector jobs to total jobs also fell by 0.1 percentage points to 10.8%, showing a downward trend for three consecutive years.

By gender, public sector jobs numbered 1,481,000 for men and 1,393,000 for women, a ratio of 1.06 to 1. Men’s jobs decreased by 8,000 (-0.6%) compared to the previous year, while women’s jobs increased by 4,000 (0.3%). By age group, the largest numbers of jobs were in their 40s (759,000), 30s (726,000), and 50s (697,000). Compared to the previous year, jobs increased among those in their 30s (14,000), 60 and older (8,000), and 50s (4,000), while jobs decreased among those 29 and younger (-24,000) and those in their 40s (-7,000).

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