Korea adds 309,000 jobs in September, loses most manufacturing jobs in 5 months

A job seeker looking at a bulletin at a job fair in Seoul on Sept. 19 [YONHAP]

Korea's employment growth accelerated for the second consecutive month in September, helped by work activities among women and older adults.

Still, jobs in the manufacturing sector fell by the most in five months amid an economic slowdown, according to Statistics Korea Friday.

The number of employed people came to 28.69 million last month, up around 309,000 from a year earlier, or 1.1 percent.

Hiring has logged on-year growth for the 31st consecutive month since March 2021, and it is the first time in three months that the country has added more than 300,000 jobs.

Monthly job additions rebounded in August after four months of a slowdown.

The employment rate of people aged 15 and older rose 0.5 percentage points on-year to 63.2 percent last month, the highest for any September since the statistics agency began compiling related data in 1982.

The country's jobless rate came to 2.3 percent, the lowest level ever, in September, down 0.1 percentage point from a year earlier, the data showed.

By age, hiring those aged 60 and older grew the most in September, or 354,000 new positions on-year. Jobs for those in their 30s rose 56,000, and those for people in their 50s increased 45,000.

But the number of positions for those aged 15 to 29 dropped 89,000, the 11th consecutive fall, the data showed.

By sector, the manufacturing sector shed 72,000 jobs in September, the largest figure since April, when 97,000 jobs were lost.

The sector reported an on-year job loss for the ninth consecutive month, as production in the sector and exports have remained weak amid an economic slowdown.

"The fall in jobs in the manufacturing sector is partly attributable to a high base effect," an agency official said. "The auto and health care sectors added more jobs, offsetting the fall in the electronics components and chemicals sectors."

The welfare and social service segment added 118,000 jobs, and the science and technology service sector added 67,000 jobs last month.

Some 66,000 jobs were also added in the accommodation and restaurant sector.

But the number of jobs in the wholesale and retail sector fell by 17,000, and the real estate sector lost 36,000 jobs.

BY PARK EUN-JEE, YONHAP [park.eunjee@joongang.co.kr]