Hiring survey suggests a tough 2019 for job seekers

More than half of large Korean companies plan to recruit employees this year, while only three out of 10 smaller firms are thinking of increasing their payrolls, a poll said Thursday.

According to the survey by Incruit, a local online job placement portal, 36 percent of the 646 companies said they want to hire new workers this year.

By company size, some 64 percent of large firms say they have finalized plans to hire new workers this year.

But according to the survey, only 27 percent of the smaller firms responded they are going to take on new employees this year.

Some 44 percent of the surveyed firms say they are considering increasing payrolls this year.

Some 56 percent said that their hiring would be similar to last year’s, according to the survey.

The survey came as more Koreans didn’t have jobs in 2018.

Last year, Korea’s unemployment rate stood at 3.8 percent, its highest level since 2001. That year, the corresponding figure was 4 percent.

Yonhap