Jeong Dong-myeong, director-general of the Social Statistics Bureau at Statistics Korea, on April 14 gives a presentation on national employment trends last month at Government Complex-Sejong in Sejong. (Yonhap News)

By Lee Kyoung Mi and Yoon Hee Young

The number of employed last month saw its first rise since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in February last year.

Statistics Korea on April 14 said in a report that the number was 26.92 million in March, up 314,000 from the same month last year. The figure started to decrease from March last year (minus 195,000) due to the pandemic and continued dropping for 12 consecutive months, with February this year seeing a plunge of 473,000 jobs.

This was the longest streak of job losses since the Asian foreign exchange crisis, when the number of jobs shrank for 16 consecutive months from January 1998 to April 1999.

The employment rate for the 15-64 age range, the criterion for comparison of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, was 65.7%, slightly up from 65.4% in March last year. The rate for young adults between ages 15 and 29 was 43.3%, up from 41%.

Jeong Dong-myeong, director-general of the agency's Social Statistics Bureau, said, "The figure reflects the effects of eased social distancing after Feb. 15 and the base effect following the employment shock in March last year."

"The indicators showed improvement especially in the accommodation, food and educational services sectors. The increase is also attributed to the government's job-boosting project for industries related to health and welfare."

km137426@korea.kr