Ministry of Employment Announces Business Workforce Survey Results on 29th
Permanent Employees Decrease by 240,000... Largest Drop Since 2009 Survey
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] Due to the resurgence of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the number of workers in the accommodation and food service industries sharply decreased by 165,000 last month.
As the government's large-scale job projects in response to COVID-19 began in earnest, the number of public administration workers surged by 198,000.
According to the September Business Survey results announced by the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 29th, the total number of workers in businesses last month was 18,576,000, down 112,000 (0.6%) compared to the same month last year.
The number of business workers had sharply decreased by 365,000 in April this year when the COVID-19 crisis intensified, but the decline gradually narrowed, with only a 90,000 decrease in August. However, the decline widened again last month. This is attributed to the resurgence of COVID-19 following the mid-August rally in Gwanghwamun, Seoul.
By industry, workers in accommodation and food services, which were directly hit by strengthened social distancing measures, decreased sharply by 165,000. Business facility management, including travel agencies, and wholesale and retail trade also decreased by 65,000 and 56,000 respectively.
Workers in manufacturing, the backbone of the domestic industry, decreased by 70,000. Although the negative trend has continued for eight consecutive months since February this year, the decrease was smaller than in August (77,000).
The number of public administration workers, including participants in government job projects, surged by 198,000, an increase larger than in August (183,000). This indicates that the employment shock from the COVID-19 resurgence is mainly being mitigated through government job projects.
Looking at the changes in business workers by employment status last month, regular employees decreased by 241,000. This is the largest decline since the business labor survey began in June 2009.
At a briefing on the same day, Kwon Ki-seop, Director of Employment Policy at the Ministry of Labor, explained that the decrease in regular employees mainly occurred in accommodation and food services and education services, saying, "It is difficult to say that restructuring, including manufacturing, has expanded."
Other workers, including special employment types such as designated drivers, also decreased by 52,000. Temporary and daily workers increased sharply by 181,000. This is interpreted as a result of a large supply of temporary and daily jobs in the public sector through government job projects.
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