Korea adds over 100,000 jobs for 3rd month in Sept.

Korea added over 100,000 jobs for the third consecutive month in September, according to government data released on Friday. The employment figures show a strong trend, with the number of people employed rising to 29.26 million from 29.15 million a year ago. The unemployment rate fell to 2 percent last month, down from 2.1 percent a year earlier.

The employment rate for individuals aged 15 to 29 was 44 percent in September, a decline of 1.1 percentage points compared to the previous year. The employment rate for those aged 15 and above stood at 63.5 percent, a slight decrease of 0.2 percentage points from the prior year. However, not all sectors benefited from the job growth.

The manufacturing industry, which had been experiencing continuous decline for 26 months, saw a loss of 16,000 jobs in September. Meanwhile, the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector shed 94,000 positions, while the construction industry experienced a 48,000 job reduction. The accommodation and restaurant sector also suffered a significant loss of 97,000 jobs, attributed to a base effect from the distribution of government vouchers distributed last year.

On a positive note, the healthcare and social welfare sector added jobs, contributing to the overall employment growth in the country.