National Data Office launches 232,000-household employment survey

The National Data Office said Wednesday it will survey about 232,000 households across South Korea from Oct. 20 to Nov. 4 for its second-half regional employment survey, a twice-yearly count that underpins local job policy.

The survey covers the population aged 15 and older in the selected households and has been conducted since 2008. Households were chosen through statistical sampling methods rather than by request. Interviewers visit homes, but respondents can also take part online using an access number printed on a notice mailed to them, from Oct. 18 to Oct. 26. The questionnaire covers 34 items and is fielded twice a year, in April and October, with the reference period for the second-half round set as Oct. 11 to 17.

Main employment indicators for cities, counties and districts will be released in February 2027, followed by the industrial and occupational characteristics of employed people in April and the employment status of dual-income and single-person households in June. The findings will appear in press releases and on the KOSIS national statistics portal.

“All surveyed information is used only for statistical purposes under the Statistics Act, and confidentiality is strictly protected,” said Ahn Hyung-joon, chief of the National Data Office. “We ask for the active participation of households selected as samples so that we can accurately grasp the country's regional employment situation.”

The survey is run by the office's Employment Statistics Division under the Social Statistics Bureau, headed by Kim Rak-hyun, with Kim Mi-sun as the responsible official.