In Korea, one in three nonregular workers is age 60 or older. The number of nonregular workers hit a record high since related statistics began in 2003.
According to the Supplementary Survey on Employment Type of the Economically Active Population Survey for Aug. 2025 released by the National Data Office on the 22nd, as of August, there were 8,568,000 nonregular workers, up 110,000 from the same month a year earlier. Over the same period, regular workers totaled 13,845,000, an increase of 160,000.
Nonregular workers accounted for 38.2% of wage workers, unchanged from the same month a year earlier. Temporary workers numbered 5,848,000, up 220,000 from a year earlier, while part-time workers totaled 4,229,000, down 27,000 from a year earlier.
Temporary workers include fixed-term employees with set contract periods and non-fixed-term employees for whom continued employment is hard to expect due to involuntary reasons. Part-time workers are those whose working hours are shorter by one hour or more than other workers in the same establishment.
By gender, male nonregular workers numbered 3.65 million, up 35,000 from a year earlier. Females totaled 4,918,000, an increase of 74,000.
By age, nonregular workers age 60 or older accounted for the largest share at 35.5%, followed by those in their 50s (19.1%) and those age 29 or younger (18.0%).
In particular, nonregular workers age 60 or older numbered 3,044,000, up 233,000 from the same month a year earlier. Among wage workers age 60 or older, the share of nonregular workers was 69.9%, meaning 7 out of 10 were nonregular.
An official at Statistics Korea said, "As the older population grows, the share of older people among nonregular workers is also expanding," and noted, "Starting this year, we are providing additional detailed information on statistics for older nonregular workers."
By industry, health and social welfare had the most at 1,756,000 (20.5%). It was followed by business facilities management at 863,000 (10.1%) and accommodations and food service at 813,000 (9.5%).
Compared to the same month a year earlier, industries that saw increases in nonregular workers were health and social welfare (210,000) and transportation and warehousing (39,000), while accommodations and food service (-580,000), construction (-510,000), wholesale and retail (-410,000), and manufacturing (-320,000) decreased.
By occupation, elementary occupations were the largest at 2,736,000 (31.9%), followed by service workers (1,499,000, 17.5%) and professionals and related workers (1,449,000, 16.9%).
The average length of service for nonregular workers was 2 years and 11 months, one month longer than a year earlier, and the average weekly hours worked were 28.2, up 0.6 hour.
Based on the past three months (June–August), the average monthly wage for wage workers was 3,205,000 won, up 77,000 won from a year earlier. Regular workers earned 3,896,000 won, up 100,000 won, while nonregular workers earned 2,088,000 won, up 40,000 won. Excluding part-time workers, the average monthly wage for nonregular workers was 3,037,000 won, up 80,000 won.