S. Korea's temporary jobs fall to 31-year Q3 low

SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- The number of temporary and daily workers in South Korea fell to its lowest third-quarter level in 31 years amid a prolonged construction slump, government data showed Sunday.

The combined figure dropped by 95,000 from a year earlier to 5.73 million in the July-September period, the lowest third-quarter level since 1995, according to an analysis of microdata from the Ministry of Data and Statistics.

Of the total, the number of daily workers fell by 38,000 to a record third-quarter low of 833,000, largely due to weak employment in the construction sector.

Daily construction workers declined by 28,000 to 381,000, accounting for 74.6 percent of the overall drop. Those in their 50s saw the sharpest decline, down 21,000.

The number of temporary workers, whose contracts last at least one month but less than a year, fell by 57,000 to 4.89 million in the three-month period.

By industry, the accommodation and food services sector recorded the largest decline in temporary workers, down 30,000, followed by construction, and information and communications, which shed 22,000 each.

ejkim@yna.co.kr
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