More Young S. Koreans Remain Economically 'Inactive': Report

South Koreans aged 15 to 34 who remained economically "inactive" rather than seeking employment reached 590,000 in 2024, an increase of 197,000 from 2019, according to a report released by the Korea Employment Information Service on May 23.

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SEOUL -

The report was based on a survey of 3,189 young people who said they took a break over the past year. These individuals, described as economically inactive, stopped looking for work within one to three years of completing job training or receiving job-seeking benefits.

The average length of their break as at December 2024 was 22.7 months.

The most common reasons for taking a break were a lack of desire to find a job (38.1 per cent), followed by a focus on education and self-development (35 per cent), burnout (27.2 per cent) and psychological issues (25 per cent).