South Korea Unemployment Rate

South Korea’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged down to 2.5% in September 2025 from 2.6% in August, returning to July’s level. The country added 312,000 jobs, marking the strongest employment gain in 19 months and bringing the total number of employed people to 29.15 million. Still, hiring in manufacturing and construction continued to decline, reflecting ongoing weakness in core sectors. The latest figures extended a steady recovery in employment following a brief setback last December, when 52,000 jobs were lost. Job creation gathered pace afterward, reaching a peak of 245,000 in May before easing to 183,000 in June, 171,000 in July, and 166,000 in August.