Seoul

Data from Statistics Korea, released on Tuesday, reveals a rise in irregular workers in South Korea amid a decline in regular employees. In August 2024, the number of irregular workers reached 8,459,000, an increase of 337,000 from the previous year. Conversely, regular employment fell by 147,000 to 13,685,000, marking the first decrease in three years.

The share of irregular workers among all wage earners rose by 1.2 percentage points to 38.2%, the second-highest level since 2003. The increase in irregular employment was notable in the food service, health, social welfare, manufacturing, science and technology, and wholesale and retail sectors. Meanwhile, regular jobs decreased in manufacturing, construction, and retail.

Additionally, the number of irregular workers aged 60 and older surged by 193,000 to 2,812,000 compared to last year. Irregular employment also grew by 84,000 among those in their 30s and by 34,000 in their 50s, while there were 27,000 irregular workers aged 29 and younger.