630,000 employed people declined in December last year… The largest decline since the financial crisis

-In December of last year, the number of employed decreased by 628,000 compared to the same month last year, the largest decline since the financial crisis. This is because the employment market has gradually shrunk due to the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19), and the increase in jobs over the age of 60, which has supported the employment index, has decreased.

Experts advise that it is necessary for the government to directly increase jobs to overcome the Corona 19 crisis, but it is more important to create an environment in which private companies can increase decent jobs.

According to the National Statistical Office on the 13th, the number of employed 60 or older in December of last year increased by 249,000 from the same month last year. The number of employed persons aged 60 and over increased’I am alone’ while the number of employed at other ages decreased. However, the increase was 230,000 people down from the previous year (479,000 people).

Due to the corona 19 incident, the job program for the elderly was terminated early or was not progressed properly. As the increase in the number of elderly jobs made with narat money slowed, the employment index also declined. In December of last year, the number of employed decreased by 628,000, the largest drop since February 1999 (-658,000). In the summer of 2018, when the increase in the number of employed fell below 10,000, the government started creating jobs directly. Direct jobs supported the employment index in the midst of sluggish jobs in the 30s and 40s, the main axis of the job market, and manufacturing jobs, but last year’s coronavirus situation was insufficient. Hong Nam-ki, Deputy Prime Minister of Economy and Ministry of Strategy and Finance, said, “The good employment performance in December 2019 served as the basis for the decline in the number of employed people.” Even if the economy recovers, the employment cold is expected to continue considering the lagging aspect of employment. Deputy Prime Minister Hong said, “In the first quarter of this year (January to March), we will directly hire 800,000 out of 1,040,000 jobs.” Experts point out that although the employment index may be temporarily restored by increasing jobs directly, there is a limit to fundamentally improving the employment difficulties experienced in the field. As the impact of the Corona 19 crisis varies by industry and worker, there are many orders that customized measures are needed.

Last year, jobs in the wholesale and retail business (-160,000 people) and lodging and food businesses (-159,000 people) increased significantly, and in the health and social welfare service industry (130,000 people), transportation and warehouse businesses (51,000 people). In order to create an environment in which private companies can create jobs, regulatory improvements and joint public-private measures are also needed. Sang-Bong Kim, professor of economics at Hansung University, said, “Because quality jobs come from companies, it is important to create an environment in which companies can create jobs.”

Sejong = Reporter Nam Kun-woo [email protected]· Song Chung-hyun