S. Korea loses 40,000 jobs in May, first decline in 17 months

South Korea lost 40,000 jobs in May from a year earlier, government data showed Thursday, marking the first decline in 17 months amid economic uncertainties in the wake of the prolonged Middle East conflict. The number of employed people came to 29.12 million in May, compared with 29.16 million a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics. It marked the first decrease since December 2024, when the number of jobs fell by 52,000 following former President Yoon Suk Yeo

By The Korea Herald