ASIA’S YOUTH FACE JOB CRISIS

Trapped by sense of futility, denial of opportunities

The Covid-19 pandemic has triggered a rise in unemployment in Japan and South Korea, with young people, perhaps, bearing the brunt. Many are unable to secure their dream jobs – or any job at all – after graduation. As major conglomerates cancel their annual hiring blitz, youth in both countries have had to think on their feet to escape the prospect of being jobless.

Already stuck in a fiercely competitive job market saturated with college graduates, South Korea's youth now see their prospects darkening further due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Already stuck in a fiercely competitive job market saturated with college graduates, South Korea's youth now see their prospects darkening further due to the Covid-19 pandemic. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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Landing a job, not to mention a dream job, is nowadays a mean feat for young people in South Korea.

Already stuck in a fiercely competitive job market saturated with college graduates - one they have been regarding as "hell" for a while - youth now see their prospects darkening further due to the Covid-19 pandemic and changed recruitment practices.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on November 29, 2020, with the headline Trapped by sense of futility, denial of opportunities. Subscribe