2,000 Fewer Employees at Workplaces in April... Four Consecutive Months of Decline Due to Slump in Manufacturing and Construction

Number of Employees at Businesses Reaches 20,274,000 in April
Decline in Domestic Sectors Such as Wholesale, Retail, Accommodation, and Food Services

Last month, the number of employees at businesses decreased by 2,000, marking the fourth consecutive month of decline. This is the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that there has been such a prolonged decrease. The number of employees in major sectors such as manufacturing and construction has decreased for 19 months and 10 months in a row, respectively, raising concerns.

Office workers are commuting to work at the Yeouido Bus Transfer Center in Seoul.

According to the "April 2025 Workplace Labor Force Survey Results" released by the Ministry of Employment and Labor on May 29, the number of employees at businesses with at least one employee stood at 20,274,000 as of the last business day of the previous month, a decrease of 2,000 (0.0%) compared to the same month last year. The number of employees at businesses had been slowing in growth due to changes in population structure, but since January, it has been declining for four consecutive months.

By industry, manufacturing, which accounts for the highest share of employees at 18%, saw a decrease of 6,000 (0.2%), marking 19 consecutive months of decline. The construction industry also posted a decrease for the 10th consecutive month, with a reduction of 91,000 employees (6.1%). Wholesale and retail trade lost 34,000 employees (1.5%), while accommodation and food services declined by 11,000 (0.9%). On the other hand, health and social welfare services increased by 80,000 (3.3%), and professional, scientific, and technical services rose by 19,000 (1.4%).

In March, the nominal total wage per employee at businesses with at least one regular worker was 4,136,000 won, an increase of 3.1% (126,000 won) compared to the previous year. The real wage, which reflects the price level, was 3,557,000 won, up 1.1% (38,000 won). Although real wages had dropped sharply by 7.3% the previous month, this time they turned to an increase.

On a first-quarter basis, nominal wages rose by 4.5% (190,000 won) to 4,406,000 won. Real wages increased by 2.3% (87,000 won) to 3,797,000 won. Real wages have now risen for four consecutive quarters since the second quarter of last year (0.9%), with the pace of increase also accelerating.

In March, the average working hours per employee at businesses with at least one regular worker stood at 153.3 hours, a decrease of 0.6 hours (0.4%). For the first quarter, average working hours were 148.6 hours, down 6.2 hours (4.0%). This was influenced by the fact that the number of working days in the calendar month was three days fewer than the previous year.

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