The number of employed last month reached 27.648 million, up 542,000 from the same month last year, as job growth continued for the fifth consecutive month. Jeong Dong-myeong, director-general of the Social Statistics Bureau at Statistics Korea, on Aug. 11 gives a presentation on national employment trends in July at Government Complex-Sejong. (Yonhap News)

By Park Hye Ri and Yoon Hee Young

The number of employed last month increased more than 500,000 as job growth continued for the fifth consecutive month.

Statistics Korea on Aug. 11 said in a report that the number of employed last month was 27.648 million, up 542,000 from the same month last year.

The number of employed had fallen for 12 consecutive months from March last year to February this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but returned to positive growth in March this year with 314,000. July marked the fifth straight month of job growth.

By sector, health care and social services saw job growth of 9.9% (237,000); transportation and warehousing 8.2% (121,000); and construction 4.6% (92,000).

The number of jobs in wholesale and retail, however, decreased 5.3% (186,000); that in associations, organizations, repair and other individual services declined 4.1% (50,000); and that in art, sports and leisure services fell 5.5% (28,000).

The employment rate for the 15-64 age range, the criterion for comparison used by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, was 67.1%, up from 66% year on year. The figure for young adults ages 15-29 was 45.5%, up from 42.7%.

Jeong Dong-myeong, director-general of the agency's Social Statistics Bureau, said, "The survey period (July 11-17) was held after the social distancing status was expanded to the highest Level 4 in the Greater Seoul area and higher than Level 2 in areas outside of the capital region," adding, "Reinforced social distancing affected employment in wholesale, retail, accommodation and food service, but the number of employed increased thanks to positive export growth and the base effect due to COVID-19 last year."

The number of unemployed and the jobless rate also improved. The latter fell to 3.2%, down from 4.0% last year, thanks to a decline of 218,000 unemployed, the biggest drop since 275,000 in August 2019.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Hong Nam-ki said in a message posted on Facebook, "We will do our best to minimize COVID-19's effects on the job market," adding, "We will also provide jobs to socially vulnerable groups as reflected in the supplementary budget and actively support the maintenance of jobs in the private sector."

hrhr@korea.kr