More South Koreans Opt Out of Workforce, Saying They Have ‘No Reason to Work
 

The number of South Koreans that remain economically inactive rose from a year earlier in 2025, amid a steady increase in the number of people who say they have no particular reason for not working, government data showed Wednesday.

A total of 16.22 million individuals had remained economically inactive as of end-August, up 9,000 from a year earlier, according to the data compiled the Ministry of Data and Statistics. The economically inactive population refers to people who are neither employed nor actively seeking work.

Among them, 2.64 million people said they were “resting,” meaning they were not seeking employment for no specific reason, up 73,000 from a year earlier.

The number of people in the category has continued to climb in recent years, rising from 2.24 million in 2022 to 2.32 million in 2023 and 2.57 million in 2024.

Among people aged 15 to 29, 34.1 percent said they were not working because they “could not find the job they wanted,” up 3.3 percentage points from a year earlier. Another 9.9 percent said they were not working because “no jobs were available.”

The ministry said the data reflects a growing discord between the types of jobs available and the employment opportunities young people seek.

Source : http://koreabizwire.com/more-south-koreans-opt-out-of-workforce-saying-they-have-no-reason-to-work/336900

Comprehension

How many South Koreans were economically inactive as of end-August 2025?
What is the definition of “economically inactive” in this context?
How many people said they were “resting” with no specific reason for not working?
How much did the number of “resting” individuals increase from the previous year?
What has been the trend in the number of “resting” people from 2022 to 2025?
Among people aged 15 to 29, what percentage said they couldn’t find the job they wanted?
What percentage said there were “no jobs available”?
What does the ministry say the data reflects?

Discussion

Why do you think so many people say they are “resting” instead of job hunting?
Do you think the increase in economically inactive people is a serious problem? Why or why not?
Why might young people feel they can’t find the job they want?
What are the risks of being economically inactive for a long time?
How can governments help reduce youth unemployment?
Should young people be more flexible in the types of jobs they accept?
What impact does job mismatch have on a country’s economy?
Do you think technology and automation affect job availability today?
What skills do you think young people need to be competitive in the job market?
If you couldn’t find the job you wanted, what would you do?

Vocabulary

Economically inactive – not working and not looking for work.
Compiled – collected and organized (data, information).
Resting – not working or job hunting, without a specific reason.
Category – a group or type of similar things.
Discord – a disagreement or mismatch.
Employment opportunities – chances to get a job.
Available – ready for use; existing to choose from.
Trend – a pattern or direction of change over time.