Korea adds 108,000 jobs in January, smallest growth in 13 months

Korea added slightly more than 100,000 jobs in January, marking the slowest on-year growth in 13 months, data showed Wednesday. The number of employed people rose by 108,000, or 0.4 percent, from a year earlier to 27.99 million last month, according to the data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics. It marks the smallest on-year gain since losing 52,000 positions in December 2024. Last month’s modest increase underscored a prolonged slump in the manufacturing and construction sectors, while youth employment fell for the 21st consecutive month, highlighting continued challenges for young job seekers. By age, jobs for people aged 15 to 29 fell sharply by 175,000 in January, pushing down the employment rate for the age group 1.2 percentage points from a year earlier to 43.6 percent. This marked the lowest January figure since 2021, when the rate stood at 41.1 percent. Employment among those in their 40s also declined slightly, falling by 3,000 jobs. Even jobs for older workers, which had led the labor market in recent years, showed signs of weakening. Employment among people aged 60 and olde

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