South Korea temporary and daily workers hit 31-year low

The number of temporary and daily workers in South Korea reached its lowest level for a third quarter since 1995. According to an analysis of microdata from the National Data Agency, the total number of temporary and daily workers in the third quarter fell to 5.727 million, a decrease of 95,000 compared to the same period last year.

The decline is primarily driven by a downturn in the construction and domestic consumption sectors. Daily workers dropped to 833,000, the lowest third-quarter figure on record. The construction industry accounted for 74.6% of this decline, with a significant loss of 28,000 workers. Other sectors experiencing job losses include wholesale and retail, accommodation and food services, and information technology.

This employment contraction is heavily impacting middle-aged workers aged 40 and older, who often serve as primary household breadwinners. For instance, in the accommodation and food services sector, temporary workers in their 40s decreased by 15,000. In construction, losses were most notable among those aged 60 and older and those in their 40s. Experts warn that the loss of these livelihood-dependent short-term jobs could exacerbate income inequality and poverty if the construction and domestic markets do not recover.