Changwon Job Market 2025: Employment Up, Hiring Down, Older Workers Rise

The labor market in the Changwon region of South Korea presents a complex picture as of 2025. While the number of insured workers has continued a five-year growth trend, new hiring has significantly declined and there’s a notable increase in re-employment among those aged 50 to 60. This suggests a tightening of entry-level opportunities coupled with a reliance on experienced workers.

Shifting Business Landscape

According to an analysis of employment insurance data by the Changwon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the total number of regularly employed, insured workers in Changwon reached 278,084 in 2025, a 1.4% increase from the previous year. Growth was most pronounced in businesses employing between 100 and 300 people, which saw a 6.0% rise. Businesses with 10 to 100 employees grew by 3.8%, and those with over 300 employees increased by 1.0%. Conversely, the smallest businesses – those with fewer than 10 employees – experienced a 4.2% decrease, falling to 65,891.

Sectoral Trends

The service sector led the growth in employment, with 152,079 workers, a 2.4% increase. Manufacturing saw a more modest rise of 0.5%, reaching 114,122 workers, while the construction sector declined by 1.6% to 13,405 workers. Within manufacturing, ‘other machinery and equipment’ accounted for the largest share of employment at 29,265, followed by ‘automobiles and trailers’ (18,773), ‘electrical equipment’ (17,689), and ‘other transport equipment’ (10,801).

Long-Term Employment in Manufacturing

Long-term employment is particularly prevalent in manufacturing. While overall industry averages show 19.7% (55,189 workers) with 10 or more years of service, this figure rises to 30.4% (34,619 workers) within manufacturing, indicating a workforce heavily reliant on experienced personnel. The service sector’s largest employment area was ‘health and social work’ with 44,714 workers.

Declining New Hires and Rising Re-Employment

In 2025, the number of people entering employment decreased by 0.9% to 123,388, while the number of those leaving employment fell slightly by 0.2% to 117,518. Among those employed, career changes accounted for 112,432 workers, a decrease of 0.2%, but new hires plummeted by 7.4% to 10,956. The primary reason for leaving employment was ‘voluntary resignation due to personal reasons’ (55.4%, or 65,083 people), though this was down 3.8%. However, terminations due to ‘contract expiration or project completion’ (up 10.5%) and ‘retirement’ (up 16.3%) saw significant increases, reflecting a rise in temporary positions and an aging workforce.

Notably, while new hires decreased across all age groups, career changes increased among those aged 60 and over (5.5%) and those aged 50-59 (1.3%), indicating a trend of experienced workers successfully re-entering the workforce.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the overall trend in employment in Changwon?

The overall number of insured workers in Changwon is increasing (1.4% in 2025), but new hiring is decreasing significantly (7.4%).

Which sector is driving employment growth?

The service sector is driving employment growth, with a 2.4% increase in workers, while manufacturing saw a smaller increase of 0.5%.

What is happening with older workers in the Changwon job market?

There is a notable increase in re-employment among workers aged 50 to 60, with career changes increasing by 5.5% for those 60 and over and 1.3% for those aged 50-59.

As the Changwon labor market continues to evolve, it could be that continued declines in new hiring will further exacerbate challenges for young people seeking employment, while the trend of re-employment among older workers may become more pronounced.