South Korea added 139,000 jobs in October, extending monthly gains above 100,000 for a fourth consecutive month, while the unemployment rate fell to a record October low of 2.0 percent. The 15-to-64 employment rate rose to 70.4 percent, but the youth employment rate for ages 15 to 29 dropped to 42.9 percent as youth employment declined for the 48th consecutive month.
Services added 272,000 jobs, led by health and social welfare, while accommodation and food services lost 137,000 jobs and construction and agriculture also contracted. Regular workers increased by 287,000 to a record 57.9 percent share of wage workers, even as temporary and daily workers declined.