"High Share of Young People Facing Poor Employment Conditions"
In the second half of last year, the employment rate in gu districts of metropolitan cities fell for the first time since related statistics began to be compiled. This is seen as the result of the population structure in these areas, where the share of young people struggling in the job market amid sluggish domestic demand is higher than in si (city) or gun (county) areas.
According to Statistics Korea's "Major Employment Indicators by Si/Gun/Gu from the 2025 Second Half Regional Employment Survey," released on February 24, the number of employed people in gu districts of the nation's seven metropolitan cities stood at 11,589,000, down 40,000 from a year earlier.
The employment rate was 58.8%, down 0.2 percentage points from a year earlier. This is the first decline for a second-half figure since the statistics began to be compiled in 2021.
A Statistics Korea official explained, "Overall youth employment is in poor shape, and gu districts have a higher share of young people in the population than si or gun areas, so they were more strongly affected," adding, "The number of employed people fell in sectors such as construction, wholesale and retail trade, and information and communications."
By region, Ongjin-gun in Incheon Metropolitan City recorded the highest employment rate at 79%, followed by Gunwi-gun in Daegu Metropolitan City (76.3%) and Gangseo-gu in Busan Metropolitan City (69.3%).
The number of employed people in si areas of the nine provinces was 14,178,000, an increase of 116,000 from the same period a year earlier. The employment rate was unchanged from a year earlier at 62.4%.
Dangjin-si in Chungcheongnam-do posted the highest rate at 72.9%, followed by Seogwipo-si in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province (72.1%) and Sangju-si in Gyeongsangbuk-do (69.8%).
The number of employed people in gun areas was 2,104,000, down 11,000 from the same period a year earlier. The employment rate also fell 0.5 percentage points to 68.9%.
Ulleung-gun in Gyeongsangbuk-do had the highest rate at 83.2%, followed by Sinan-gun in Jeollanam-do (78.2%) and Hwacheon-gun in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (76.7%).
The unemployment rate in gu districts of the seven metropolitan cities was 3.6%, up 0.2 percentage points from a year earlier. The number of unemployed people was 433,000, an increase of 18,000 over the same period.
It was high in Gwanak-gu in Seoul Special City (5.7%), Bupyeong-gu in Incheon Metropolitan City (5.6%), and Dong-gu in Ulsan Metropolitan City (5.2%).
In si areas of the nine provinces, the number of unemployed people was 431,000, up 14,000 from the same period a year earlier, while the unemployment rate was unchanged from a year earlier at 2.9%.
It was high in Uijeongbu-si in Gyeonggi-do (5.3%), Gumi-si in Gyeongsangbuk-do (4.9%), and Suncheon-si in Jeollanam-do (3.4%).
In gun areas, the number of unemployed people was 27,000, an increase of 3,000 from the same period a year earlier, and the unemployment rate rose 0.2 percentage points to 1.3%.
It was high in Hwasun-gun in Jeollanam-do (3.2%), Jincheon-gun in Chungcheongbuk-do (2.9%), and Uljin-gun in Gyeongsangbuk-do (2.8%).
The economically inactive population also continued to grow. In gu districts of metropolitan cities, the economically inactive population was 7,690,000, up 34,000 from the same period a year earlier. In si areas, the economically inactive population was 8,115,000, an increase of 56,000 from a year earlier. In gun areas, it was 924,000, up 16,000 over the same period.
In particular, the "other" economically inactive population, classified as "taking a break" or "preparing for employment," increased in all areas. In gu districts it rose by 141,000 from a year earlier, in si areas by 59,000, and in gun areas by 30,000.
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