Indicators
South Korea’s Jobless Rate Jumps as Political Row Hits Economy
- Jobless rate rises to 3.7% after staying low for most of 2024
- Consumer and business sentiment sinks ahead of BOK meeting
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South Korea’s unemployment rate rose to the highest level in more than three years as the number of jobs dropped, offering further evidence of an economy shaken by a martial-law row and a deadly airline crash.
The seasonally adjusted jobless rate jumped to 3.7% in December from 2.7% in the previous month, hitting the highest point since June 2021, according to data released by the national statistical office on Wednesday. Separately, South Korea lost 52,000 jobs compared with a year earlier, in the first contraction since February 2021.