National Data Office reports metropolitan district employment decline

The National Data Office said employment in seven special and metropolitan city districts stood at 11.565 million in the first half, down from 11.589 million a year earlier. The employment rate was 58.6%, down from 58.8%. The office also reported a decline in information and communications services jobs. "Employment in manufacturing and construction has continued to decline for more than 20 months, and that appears to be reflected in the figures," Kim Rak-hyeon, the office's head of employment statistics, said. The release analyzed major employment indicators for 228 cities, counties and districts based on an April survey.

The labor force in metropolitan districts was 12.006 million, down 50,000 from a year earlier. It included 6.531 million men, down 80,000, and 5.476 million women, up 30,000. Across the nine provinces, employment in the 77 city areas rose to 14.271 million from 14.175 million, although their employment rate edged down to 62.5% from 62.6%. In metropolitan districts, 442,000 people were unemployed, down from 467,000 a year earlier, and the jobless rate was 3.7%, down from 3.9%. It was 2.8% in provincial city areas and 1.3% in counties.

Counties moved in the other direction, with employment rising by 26,000 to 2.130 million and their employment rate rising to 69.4% from 69.2%. "Policy and infrastructure support for population-declining areas, along with basic income and programs improving settlement and living conditions, appear to have had an effect," Kim said.

"Favorable conditions in the semiconductor industry have improved employment rates in related areas, and Icheon has seen a greater improvement," Kim said.

The office cited Seogwipo in Jeju, with a 73.3% employment rate; Ulleung County in North Gyeongsang, at 84.3%; and Ongjin County in Incheon, at 79.7%, as areas with high employment rates. It listed Seoul's Gwanak District at 5.6%, Incheon's Bupyeong District at 5.0% and Daegu's Seo District at 4.8% among metropolitan districts with high jobless rates.