South Korea’s semiconductor recovery lifted output, value added and exports in 2024, but the industry’s employment effects weakened as expansion relied heavily on capital investment and automated production. The Bank of Korea’s 2024 Input-Output Table showed the employment-inducing coefficient for computers, electronics and optical equipment, a category including semiconductors, fell to 2.9 jobs per 1 billion won of final demand in 2024 from 3.6 a year earlier, far below the 7.8 economy-wide average. The category ranked third-lowest among sectors, ahead only of coal and petroleum products and electricity, gas and steam. Economy-wide employment rose by 159,000 to 28.576 million in 2024, while full-time equivalent employment declined by 28,000 to 25.96 million because growth was concentrated in shorter-hours non-regular work. Separate Bank of Korea figures showed semiconductor output and value creation rose sharply during the chip rebound, while employment growth lagged.