More than half of large South Korean companies surveyed say they have entry-level graduate hiring plans for the second half of 2026, but the improvement in hiring intentions is not translating into broad expansion of intake.
The Korea Enterprises Federation survey, conducted by Research & Research among 121 companies in the top 500 by sales, found that 51.2 percent had second-half graduate recruitment plans. That was up 14 percentage points from 37.2 percent a year earlier. The share with no hiring plan or with plans still undecided also fell.
More plans, limited expansion
The more cautious signal is the planned headcount. Among companies that intend to recruit, 50 percent said they expect to hire about the same number as last year. Another 25.8 percent expect to reduce hiring, while only 24.2 percent plan to expand it. In other words, more companies are reopening recruitment, but fewer are preparing a large increase in entry-level positions.
The survey also showed uneven conditions by industry. Wholesale and retail companies were among the most hesitant, with a large majority saying they either had no hiring plan or had not yet decided. Construction and logistics-related sectors also showed substantial uncertainty.
For graduating students and job seekers, the picture is therefore mixed. The market appears broader than last year because more major employers are participating, but the number of available positions may not rise at the same pace. The strongest evidence of a genuine hiring recovery would be a shift from simply having recruitment plans to expanding the number of new employees companies are prepared to take on.