'코로나 충격' 7월 취업자 27.7만명↓…5개월 연속 감소
South Korea's employment numbers are still lower than the previous year as the country slowly recovers from the economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rate of employment for people aged 15 and over was the lowest for the month of July since 2011.
Eum Ji-young has more.
South Korea has seen five months of job figures worse than the previous year amid the economic fallout from COVID-19.
This is the first time since 2009 in the aftermath of the global financial crisis that the figure has been lower on-year for five months in a row.
According to data released by Statistics Korea on Wednesday, the number of people working in July was 27-point-1 million,... down 277-thousand from the same period a year earlier.
The number of unemployed was the highest for the month of July since 1999 and the unemployment rate in July was four percent,... the highest for the month of July since 2000.
All age brackets except for people aged over 60 saw a drop in the number of people working and the employment rate.
"By age, people aged over 60 had an increase of 379-thousand jobs. But there was a decrease of 170-thousand for people in their 30s, a decrease of 165-thousand for those in their 20s, a drop of 164-thousand for those in their 40s, and a fall of 126-thousand for people in their 50s."
By sector, the largest drop was found in restaurants and the lodging sector which fell by 225-thousand jobs or nine-point-five percent on-year. The wholesale and retail industry and education industry saw 127-thousand and 89-thousand job losses respectively.
Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said on social media on Wednesday that although the situation is grim, July's on-year figure is improving compared to the previous three months.
He added that the government recognizes the seriousness of the situation and will go all out for recovery.
Eum Ji-young Arirang News.
