Research from Statistics Korea finds that 43.1% of workers between 15 and 29 years old now hold nontraditional jobs, including temporary or part-time work.

By Maggie Mancini

Young South Koreans entering the workforce are increasingly taking on “irregular jobs” and positions that fall outside of traditional, full-time employment, according to research from Statistics Korea. Four out of 10 workers ages 15 to 29 (primarily first-time, entry-level job seekers) now hold irregular positions—the highest level since the government began tracking these statistics in 2003.  

This type of employment includes temporary employment with fixed end dates, part-time work, agency staffing, and independent contracting.  

The research finds that irregular workers in this age group reached 1.46 million in August of this year, representing 43.1% of all paid workers in that demographic. These figures have climbed steadily over the last decade, jumping from 1.07 million in 2014—a 37% uptick. As these jobs have surged, regular employment has seen a parallel drop. The number of regular workers ages 15 to 29 dropped from 2.28 million in 2014 to 1.93 million this year.  

The rise in irregular work among young adults is driven by a surge in part-time positions. Over the past decade, the share of part-time employment for the 15 to 29 age group nearly doubled, growing from 12.4% to 24.1%. The number of temporary employees in South Korea rose by 206,000 year-over-year in September to approximately 4.94 million, a 4.3% increase.