Jobs at listed firms hit new high in 2010

The number of jobs offered by South Korea’s listed companies soared to a record high last year as companies increased employment on the back of their strong earnings, data showed Monday.

A total of 1.09 million people were hired by the 719 companies listed on the Seoul main stock index in 2010, up 10.8 percent from the previous year, according to the data by the Korea Listed Companies Association.

The figure marks the first double-digit increase since the 2008 global financial crisis. South Korea’s job market had been hit hard by the financial meltdown, with the average number of employees at each firm declining, according to the data.

By sector, manufacturing jobs topped the list with 861,031.

Service sector employment followed with 112,928 and financial sector jobs came next with 89,206. 

(Yonhap News)