The Korean Statistical Office has released key findings from the Employment Survey for the first half of 2023, shedding light on the characteristics of employed individuals based on industry and occupation.
Employment by Industry:
- Top three industries by employment: ‘Restaurant Services’ with 1.631 million (5.7%), ‘Non-Residential Welfare Facility Operations’ with 1.436 million (5.0%), and ‘Crop Cultivation’ with 1.373 million (4.8%).
- Notable changes: Increases in employment in ‘Bars and Non-Alcoholic Beverage Shops’ by 67,000 and ‘Restaurant Services’ by 64,000. Decreases were observed in ‘Legislation and General Government Administration’ by 27,000 and ‘Insurance’ by 26,000.
Employment by Occupation:
- Leading occupations: ‘Management-related Office Workers’ with 2.408 million (8.5%), ‘Store Sales Workers’ with 1.625 million (5.7%), and ‘Crop Cultivation Workers’ with 1.313 million (4.6%).
- Noteworthy trends: Growth in ‘Cooks’ by 83,000 and ‘Administrative Office Workers’ by 68,000. Conversely, declines were seen in ‘Manufacturing-related Simple Laborers’ by 58,000 and ‘Secretaries and Office Support Staff’ by 57,000.
Industry Composition by Major Field of Study:
- For education, arts, and humanities, ‘Education Services’ dominated with 53.3%, 15.2%, and 16.6%, respectively.
- In the fields of natural sciences, mathematics, statistics, engineering, and manufacturing and construction, ‘Manufacturing’ held a significant share at 17.9% and 27.8%.
Occupational Composition by Wage Level:
- Wage distribution: 33.7% for less than 2 million won, 24.0% for 4 million won or more, 21.3% for 2-4 million won, 11.9% for 1-2 million won, and 9.1% for less than 1 million won.
This data provides a comprehensive snapshot of the employment landscape in Korea, offering insights into industry shifts, occupational preferences, and wage distribution across different sectors.