Last month, the majority of new subscribers to employment insurance were seniors aged 60 and older, according to statistics. While the rapid increase in working seniors drove the growth in new subscribers, the number of young people aged 29 and younger enrolled in employment insurance actually decreased.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s report, “Labor Market Trends Based on Employment Administration Statistics,” released on the 9th, the number of regular employment insurance subscribers as of the end of last month was 15,437,000, up by 263,000 (1.7%) from the same month last year. Among them, seniors aged 60 and older accounted for approximately 80% of the increase, with 209,000 new subscribers. This is attributed to the rapid aging of society and the growing number of middle-aged and elderly individuals seeking work again after retirement, driven by increased life expectancy. In contrast, the number of subscribers aged 29 and younger decreased by 73,000 compared to the previous year, influenced by population decline.

By industry, the service sector saw a steady increase, with 10,715,000 subscribers, up by 277,000 from the previous year. Meanwhile, subscribers in manufacturing and construction—often considered “stable jobs”—decreased by 5,000 and 12,000, respectively. Manufacturing has seen a continuous decline for eight months, while construction has been on a downward trend for 30 months.

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