Shifts in the Employment Structure in Korea

Abstract

This study analyzes changes in the employment structure from 2000 to 2021 according to the job-based methodology. The results show that Employment in higher-paid jobs increased between 2000 and 2009. Employment polarization, on the other hand, emerged between 2009 and 2019. This study quantitatively identifies the labor demand and supply shocks using sign restrictions. The results show that the demand for high-income ICT and science and technology experts has increased significantly since 2000 suggesting that technology changes have had a significant impact. Deindustrialization, trade growth, and population aging had a significant impact on employment changes for low- and middle-income jobs. As the population ages rapidly in the 2010s, employment in health and social work services is increasing rapidly. In addition, changes in government policies related to non-regular workers and the expansion of the welfare system affected changes in employment type.