Approximately six out of ten businesses plan to take on new staff during the second half of the year, yet there may be reduced opportunities for entry-level job seekers.
In a recent survey conducted by local job-search platform Saramin, it was revealed that 80.2% of the 414 surveyed companies in South Korea hired new employees throughout the year. However, 27.5% of these companies have no plans to hire new workers in the second half of the year.
Of the companies that do have hiring plans for the second half, 58.5% will recruit both experienced and inexperienced workers. Interestingly, 60.4% of these companies are specifically looking for workers with a maximum of 3 years of experience. The average starting salary for entry-level workers for the second half is 32.98 million won ($23,790).
The survey did not provide information about the number of companies that have plans to hire only inexperienced workers or the total number of companies surveyed. It also did not provide information about the average starting salary for workers with more than 3 years of experience in the second half.
Current trends in hiring in South Korea show continued overall job growth focused largely on older workers (aged 60+) and growth in technology and service sectors, while youth employment and traditional sectors such as manufacturing and construction continue to decline.
According to recent data, South Korea added about 171,000 jobs in July 2025, marking continued but slowing employment growth. The 60+ age group saw a sharp increase (+342,000 jobs), while employment for ages 15–29 and 40s/50s declined significantly (-158,000 for youth, -56,000 for 40s, -49,000 for 50s).
Manufacturing and construction jobs continued to shrink for the 13th and 15th consecutive months respectively, reflecting weak domestic demand and sectoral challenges. Sector growth centered on health and social welfare (+263,000 jobs), science and technology services (+91,000 jobs), and finance/insurance.
Despite overall job growth, youth unemployment remains high, with an expanded youth jobless rate at 16.1%, reflecting challenges for inexperienced workers entering the labor market. Data specifically detailing average starting salaries for entry-level positions is not provided in these sources. However, given the employment challenges for inexperienced youth and structural labor market imbalances, starting salaries may be under pressure, especially outside of booming technology sectors.
It is important to note that the survey targeted hiring plans for "regular workers," permanent employees until the legal retirement age in Korea. A "Non-regular worker" refers to those working for periods specified in their employment contracts.
In summary, companies in Korea are currently hiring more in technology, health, and social welfare sectors, with a strong government push in AI, semiconductors, and green energy. However, hiring for inexperienced and young workers remains difficult, with youth employment falling and a high youth unemployment rate. The traditional manufacturing and construction sectors continue to struggle, affecting overall entry-level opportunities. Average starting salaries are not detailed in recent data but likely vary significantly by sector and are influenced by youth employment challenges.
- The survey focused on companies' hiring plans for "regular workers," indicating a prospect for careers in finance and business sectors, as the finance/insurance sector was noted as one of the growth areas in the report.
- Despite the significant hiring in the technology, health, and social welfare sectors, the challenges facing inexperienced and young workers, including high youth unemployment, could potentially impact the starting salaries in finance and business careers.
