South Korean businesses employed 20.72 million workers in July, up 226,000, or 1.1%, from a year earlier, with temporary and daily workers accounting for about 65% of the increase. Real wages fell 0.1% in June for a third consecutive month as consumer prices rose faster than nominal pay, and second-quarter real wages dropped 0.8% year on year. Health and social welfare services led job gains, while wholesale and retail employment contracted for a 28th straight month. Construction posted a second month of growth, though the Ministry of Employment and Labor cautioned that the increase was too brief to signal a recovery. Job vacancies rose to 158,000, while hiring and departures both increased by more than 18%.