More young workers start in nonregular jobs, widening regular employment gap: study

A recent study reveals an increasing disparity in employment opportunities between regular and nonregular jobs, particularly among younger generations in Korea. The National Assembly Futures Institute's report, published on Thursday, indicates that a growing number of young workers are beginning their careers in nonregular jobs compared to previous generations.

Specifically, one in three individuals born between 1989 and 1998 started their professional journey in nonregular employment, more than double the rate observed among those born between 1969 and 1978, who entered the workforce during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. The analysis encompassed the initial positions of 14,241 individuals born between 1962 and 1998, with the proportion of those starting as nonregular workers consistently rising across generations.

This trend saw a 12.7% rate for those born between 1962 and 1968, reflecting Korea's era of robust economic growth. The figure climbed to 17.4% for the generation that experienced the financial crisis (born 1969-1978), and surged to 28.7% for the pre- and post-financial crisis cohort (born 1979-1988). By the time of those born between 1989 and 1998, navigating a period of slowed economic growth, the rate reached a striking 33.5%.

The study underscores the widening gap between regular and nonregular employment opportunities, with younger generations increasingly opting for the more precarious nonregular jobs.