Seoul: South Korea added more than 220,000 jobs in November, sustaining an employment growth trend this year; however, youth employment saw a decline, as per government data released on Wednesday. The Ministry of Data and Statistics reported that the number of employed individuals reached 29.05 million last month, marking an increase of 225,000 from the previous year.

According to Yonhap News Agency, this rise highlights a continued positive trend in employment for the year, following a temporary setback last December when the country experienced a net job loss of 52,000. The labor market has demonstrated consistent recovery, with 245,000 jobs added in May, slowing to 183,000 in June, before a significant increase to 312,000 in September. October saw an addition of 193,000 jobs.

Despite these gains, the manufacturing and construction sectors experienced declines in employment. Furthermore, youth employment recorded its 19th straight month of year-on-year decrease in November, highlighting ongoing challenges faced by younger job seekers in the market.