South Korea’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up to 2.8% in April 2026, from a five-month low of 2.7% in March. The economy added 74,000 jobs in April, the smallest increase in 16 months and a slowdown after two consecutive months of gains above 200,000, bringing total employment to 28.961 million.
The moderation in job growth came amid ongoing weakness in mining and manufacturing, as well as construction. Employment also declined in agriculture, forestry and fishing, and in wholesale and retail trade, along with accommodation and food services. In contrast, employment increased in electricity; transport, communication and finance; and across business, personal and public services.
Despite the slight rise in the jobless rate, the number of unemployed fell to 853,000 in April, down by 2,000 from a year earlier, or 3.8% year-on-year. The labor force participation rate slipped to 62.7%, from 63.0% in March.
