One in Two Unemployed Young Koreans Experiences Burnout

More than half of unemployed young people in South Korea have experienced burnout, and the rate rises sharply the longer they remain out of work.

The Korea Enterprises Federation said on the 7th that it analyzed microdata from the Office for Government Policy Coordination’s 2024 Survey on Youth Life. Burnout affected 52.7% of unemployed young people, 1.6 times the rate among employed young people, which stood at 32.4%.

The highest rate, 61.8%, appeared among unemployed young people who had searched for work for at least a year. The figure was 54.0% for those searching between six and 12 months, 51.9% for three to six months, and 46.6% for less than three months.

Job stability also mattered among employed young people. Temporary and daily workers with contracts lasting from one month to less than a year, or less than one month, reported burnout at a rate of 41.1%. That compared with 29.6% among regular workers with contracts of at least one year.

Career uncertainty was the most commonly cited cause, named by 68.4% of unemployed young people and 57.0% of temporary and daily workers. The federation said worsening employment conditions and longer waits for first jobs appeared to be intensifying burnout. It called for stronger vocational training, employment counseling, preparation-cost assistance and psychological and emotional support.

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Employment difficulties and job insecurity appear to be deepening their burnout.