Wage Worker Jobs Increase by 220,000 in Q4 Last Year... Largest-Ever Rise for People in Their 30s

Ministry of Data and Statistics Releases Wage Worker Job Trends
Those Aged 60 and Over Lead Growth, Especially in Care Service Jobs

In the fourth quarter of last year, the number of wage worker jobs increased by more than 220,000. This growth was driven by population growth and expanded economic activity, with those aged 60 and over leading the increase. Jobs for those in their 30s saw the largest rise since related statistics have been compiled.

According to the “Trends in Wage Worker Jobs for the Fourth Quarter of 2025 (as of November)” released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics on May 19, the total number of wage worker jobs in the fourth quarter of last year reached 21,123,000, up 221,000 from a year earlier. If a person holds more than one job, each job is counted separately in these statistics.

The increase in wage worker jobs fell to around 10,000 in the first quarter of last year, remained in the 100,000 range in the second and third quarters, and then rebounded to the 200,000 range in the fourth quarter. This marks a recovery to the 200,000 level for the first time in five quarters since the third quarter of 2024 (246,000 jobs).

The number of ongoing jobs held by the same workers as the previous year was 15,494,000, accounting for 73.4% of the total. Jobs replaced by new workers due to retirement or job changes amounted to 3,272,000 (15.5%).

New jobs created through business formation or expansion totaled 2,356,000 (11.2%). Meanwhile, 2,135,000 jobs disappeared due to business closures or downsizing.

By age group, those aged 60 and over saw the largest increase, with 246,000 more jobs. This was followed by those in their 30s (99,000) and those in their 50s (24,000). Notably, the job growth among people in their 30s was the highest since such statistics have been recorded.

An official at the Ministry of Data and Statistics explained, “This is due to a trend where job entry points are shifting from the 20s to the 30s, as well as an increase in the population of people in their 30s. In particular, job growth for women in their 30s in the health and social welfare services sector was significant.”

In contrast, the number of jobs for those in their 20s and younger (-111,000) declined for the 13th consecutive quarter, and for those in their 40s (-37,000) for the 10th consecutive quarter. These trends are attributed to population decline and job losses in some industries.

By industry, the largest increase was in health and social welfare services (126,000), driven by the expansion of care service jobs and government-led job creation for the elderly.

Employment also rose in the accommodation and food services sector (40,000) and wholesale and retail trade (13,000), which the Ministry of Data and Statistics attributes mainly to the increase in foreign tourists visiting Korea.

The professional, scientific, and technical sector (33,000) maintained job growth in the 30,000 range for the second consecutive quarter, thanks in part to the restoration of research and development (R&D) budgets.

Manufacturing, a sector with a large share of jobs, saw a decrease of 14,000 jobs, continuing a declining trend for the fourth consecutive quarter. This was due to poor performance in construction-related metal products, textile products suffering from weak exports, and general machinery and equipment sectors.

The construction sector (-88,000) recorded negative growth for the ninth consecutive quarter. However, the rate of decline eased slightly, moving away from the double-digit percentage decreases that had persisted for four quarters.

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