South Korea added 206,000 jobs in March, topping 200,000 for the second straight month. The number of employed people rose 0.7 percent from a year earlier to 28.79 million, data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics showed. Youth employment, however, declined for the 23rd consecutive month.
South Korea added 206,000 jobs in March, surpassing the 200,000 mark for the second consecutive month, according to data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics released Wednesday.
The number of employed people stood at 28.79 million, up 0.7 percent from a year earlier. Job growth had rebounded into the 200,000 range in February after slowing for two months prior.
By age group, employment among those aged 15-29 fell by 147,000, marking the 23rd straight monthly decline. In contrast, jobs for people aged 60 and older rose by 242,000.
The health care and social welfare sector led gains, adding 294,000 jobs, a 9.4 percent increase. Transportation and warehousing added 75,000, while arts, sports, and leisure services gained 44,000.
Manufacturing lost 42,000 jobs, extending losses to 21 months, and construction shed 16,000 for the 23rd month. Wholesale and retail dropped 18,000, and accommodation and food services lost 2,000. The ministry noted these four sectors as key indicators of domestic demand.
Economically inactive people increased by 69,000 to 16.27 million, including 31,000 more citing rest as the reason, reaching 2.55 million.
