SEJONG – South Korea's job market is experiencing its most significant downturn in a generation, with the number of job openings per job seeker plummeting to a 26-year low. According to a report released today by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the job-applicant ratio, a key indicator of labor market health, was a mere 0.40 in July, marking the lowest figure since July 1999. This concerning trend is primarily driven by a sharp contraction in the manufacturing sector, which has traditionally been a cornerstone of the nation’s economic stability.

The data, compiled from the integrated employment platform 'Employment24', paints a stark picture of a market where supply far outstrips demand. In July, new job openings fell by 16.9% year-on-year to 165,000, while the number of new job seekers surged by 5.5% to 411,000. This widening gap has made finding employment a "needle-in-a-haystack" challenge for many Koreans, as described by analysts. An official from the Ministry's Future Employment Analysis Division attributed the decline directly to the "severe slump in the manufacturing economy," noting a simultaneous decrease in both available positions and overall employment within the sector.

While the overall number of employment insurance subscribers did increase, the pace of growth was the weakest in 22 years outside of the pandemic period. The total number of subscribers reached 15.599 million, an increase of 180,000 from the previous year. However, this growth was largely confined to the service sector, which added 203,000 new subscribers, led by robust gains in healthcare and social welfare. In stark contrast, two of the nation's most critical industries—manufacturing and construction—saw significant declines in insured workers, shrinking by 5,000 and 19,000 respectively. This trend underscores a worrisome shift away from stable, high-value-added jobs in favor of service-based employment.

The manufacturing sector, in particular, is undergoing a profound demographic shift. While total subscriber numbers in the industry saw a minor decline, an analysis reveals a significant exodus of domestic workers. When factoring out the increase in foreign workers under the Employment Permit System, the number of domestic subscribers in manufacturing fell by 24,000. This data suggests that foreign labor is increasingly filling the vacancies left by departing Korean workers, a trend that may have long-term implications for the workforce and the economy.

Demographic shifts are also evident across age groups. While employment insurance subscriptions rose among individuals in their 30s, 50s, and those over 60, they declined for individuals under 29 and in their 40s. Ministry officials noted that these declines were largely influenced by broader population trends.

Looking ahead, a ministry official suggested that a recovery in the service sector, spurred by consumer spending, could provide a modest boost to the job-applicant ratio. However, the persistent uncertainty in the manufacturing sector continues to cast a long shadow over the nation's economic outlook. Furthermore, while the number of new unemployment benefit applicants saw a slight decrease, the total number of recipients and the total amount of benefits paid increased, indicating that a growing number of individuals are facing extended periods of joblessness. This suggests a deepening structural problem within the labor market that will require more than a temporary boost in consumer confidence to resolve.