2023 public sector total jobs. /Courtesy of Statistics Korea

In 2023, public sector jobs decreased by 5,000 compared to 2022. This is the first time public sector jobs have decreased since statistics began being compiled in 2016. In particular, jobs for those in their twenties decreased by 24,000.

According to the '2023 Public Sector Job Statistics' released by the Statistics Korea on the 16th, public sector jobs two years ago stood at 2,873,000, a decrease of 0.2% compared to the previous year. The ratio of public sector jobs to the total number of employed persons is 10%, down from 10.2% the previous year.

Specifically, public sector job growth rate peaked at 6.3% during the term of former President Moon Jae-in in 2020 but has since slowed. In 2021, the growth rate fell to 2.6% as Moon's administration ended, and under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration in 2022, it was only a 1.4% increase. In 2023, the second year of the Yoon administration, job growth turned negative.

In detail, general government jobs decreased by 5,000 to 2,459,000 compared to the previous year. Local government jobs declined by about 4,000. Central government jobs did not show up in statistics because fluctuations were rounded down to less than 1,000. Public enterprise jobs remained steady at 414,000.

By industry, jobs in public administration, defense, and social security increased by 2,000, as did jobs in healthcare and social welfare services. However, jobs in education services decreased by 8,000, and jobs in information and communication decreased by 4,000.

A Statistics Korea official noted, "During the COVID-19 period, education offices hired prevention personnel, but two years ago, there were no prevention jobs, leading to job declines in local governments and the education services sector."

When classified by gender, the number of male workers in the public sector was 1,481,000, a decrease of 8,000 compared to the previous year. The number of female workers was 1,393,000, an increase of 4,000.

By age group, jobs for those in their twenties decreased by 24,000 and for those in their forties by 7,000. Public sector jobs for those in their twenties have decreased for two consecutive years following a decline of 2,000 last year. In contrast, jobs for those in their thirties increased by 14,000, while jobs for those in their sixties and fifties saw increases of 8,000 and 4,000, respectively.

Compared to the previous year, stable jobs increased by 42,000, but successive jobs decreased by 11,000 and newly created jobs decreased by 36,000.

A Statistics Korea official explained, "The decline in the population of those in their twenties and forties is impacting job numbers," adding that "new hiring has decreased, leading to a significant drop in jobs for those in their twenties."