Korea's wage jobs rise 292,000 in Q1, led by welfare, hospitality sectors

Korea added 292,000 wage jobs in the first quarter of 2026, according to official data released on Monday. This growth was primarily driven by an increase in jobs within the health and social welfare, accommodation, and food service sectors. The manufacturing and construction sectors, on the other hand, experienced losses. As of February, the total number of salaried jobs stood at 20.82 million, marking a rise of 292,000 compared to the previous year.

The Ministry of Data and Statistics reported that 74% of these jobs were held by individuals who had been employed in the same roles a year prior. Meanwhile, 15.3% of the jobs were taken up by new workers after existing jobholders either retired or switched to different roles. Of the total new positions, 10.7% were created through the establishment of new businesses or business expansions.

In terms of sector-specific growth, the health and social welfare sector saw a 127,000 increase in wage jobs, while the accommodation and food service sectors added 59,000 new positions. Conversely, the manufacturing sector saw a decrease of 1,000 wage jobs, and the construction industry recorded a decline of 52,000 jobs. Within manufacturing, the chip industry managed to add 5,000 new wage jobs, although the textile dyeing segment saw a reduction of 3,000 jobs.

Within the communications and broadcasting sectors, there were no significant changes in wage job numbers.