South Korea Jobless Rate Edges Up to 2.6% in Aug

South Korea’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate inched up to 2.6% in August 2025 from 2.5% in July, matching June’s level. The number of unemployed rose to 592,000, up by 28,000 or 4.9% from a year earlier. At the same time, the country added 166,000 jobs, a 0.6% increase that lifted total employment to 28.97 million. August’s data underscored a steady recovery in hiring since December’s brief setback, when a net 52,000 positions were lost. Job growth has since gained momentum, peaking at 245,000 in May before easing to 183,000 in June and 171,000 in July. Still, manufacturing and construction employment continued to contract, reflecting sustained weakness in major industries, while younger workers faced further declines in labor market participation.