Newly hired wage-paying positions for South Koreans under 30 and in their 30s fell to 2.363 million in the first quarter, down 23,000 from a year earlier and the lowest first-quarter level since the National Data Agency began compiling the series in 2018. The total has declined for four consecutive years since 2023. Positions for workers under 30 fell by 26,000 to a record-low 1.343 million, while hiring among people in their 30s rose by 3,000 to 1.02 million. Manufacturing accounted for most of the overall decline. Population decline, weaker demand in manufacturing and other sectors, companies’ preference for experienced workers and the spread of rolling recruitment have narrowed entry-level opportunities. Analysts also point to semiconductor-led growth, which generates relatively few jobs per unit of output, alongside weakness in other key industries. Nominal labor income at worker households headed by someone aged 39 or younger fell 0.3% year on year in the second quarter, following a 1.0% decline in the first quarter and making it the only age group with lower labor income. Income across all worker households rose 0.7%, while consumer prices increased 2.1% in the first quarter and 3.0% in the second, putting further pressure on real purchasing power. Employment among people aged 15 to 29 fell by 191,000 in July, extending a 45-month decline, while the youth employment rate dropped 1.6 percentage points to 44.2% and fell for a 27th consecutive month. The Bank of Korea’s Economic Research Institute said 94% of youth-job losses over the past four years occurred in industries highly exposed to artificial intelligence. Experts warn that prolonged delays in entering the labor market could weaken career and income foundations and postpone major life events, including marriage and childbirth.