The job market shock following the spread of Corona19 has reduced the number of employed workers by more than 390,000 in May.

Unemployment and the unemployment rate have soared to the highest level since 1999 when statistics began.

According to the'May 2020 Employment Trends' released by the National Statistical Office on the 10th, the number of employed people last month was 269.33 million, a decrease of 392,000 compared to a year ago.

It decreased for the third month following last March (-195,000) and April (-476,000).

The number of unemployment for the third consecutive month is the first time since it recorded a negative for the fourth consecutive month from October 2009 to January 2010 when the global financial crisis was overwhelming.

At that time, the decline in the number of employees was 6,000 in October 2009, 34,000 in November, 34,000 in December, and 10,000 in January 2010.

Looking at the increase or decrease in the number of employees by industry, wholesale/retail business (-189,000 people), lodging and restaurant business (-183,000 people), associations, organizations, repair and other personal service businesses (-86,000 people), and education service businesses (- 70,000) and manufacturing (-57,000).

On the other hand, the health and social welfare service industry (131,000 people), agricultural and forestry fisheries (54,000 people), and transportation and warehouse industries (50,000 people) increased.

Jeong Dong-wook, chief of the Statistics Korea Employment Statistics Division, said, “The number of unemployed workers decreased in the lodging, restaurant, and education service industries compared to April, as employment was reduced mainly in the face-to-face service industry. .

"The decline in the number of employed workers in the manufacturing industry decreased for the third straight month. Corona 19 was the biggest factor in the decline, especially in automobiles and trailers."

The economically active population was 28.29,000, down 259,000 from the same month of the previous year.

The number of non-economically active people who did not have a job search and did not get a job was counted at 1654,8,000, an increase of 555,000 from the same month last year.

The number of unemployed increased by 133,000 to 1278,000, and the unemployment rate rose 0.5 percentage points to 4.5%.

Both the unemployed and the unemployment rate are the highest since 1999 when they started to make statistics on the same month.

The increase in the number of unemployed people and the increase in the unemployment rate were reflected in the fact that the non-economically active population went to job search, the National Statistical Office explained.