In January, South Korea's employment insurance subscriber count rose by 263,000, marking the first time in 15 months that the increase exceeded 200,000. According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, this growth was largely attributed to an increase in subscribers aged 60 and above within the health and welfare sectors, reflective of expanded participation in government job creation programs. This brings the total number of employment insurance subscribers to approximately 15.44 million, a 1.7% increase from the same month last year and the highest increase since March 2024.

The service industry was the primary driver of this growth, with an increase of 277,000 subscribers recorded solely in this sector. Health and welfare services accounted for a significant portion of this rise, with 125,000 new subscribers representing nearly half of the service sector's total increase. In contrast, the manufacturing and construction industries continued to see declines in subscriber numbers, although the rate of decline has moderated. For manufacturing, the decrease was only 5,000 in the previous month compared to significantly larger drops in prior periods, mainly due to increased hiring in food processing and semiconductor sectors.

Despite the positive trend in employment insurance subscriptions among older workers, concerns remain about the implications for national productivity. While the safety net for jobs appears to have improved, there is valid skepticism regarding the broader economic impact. The rise within health and public administration sectors reflects a shift towards creating roles that leverage the capabilities of the workforce while also meeting community needs through government initiatives.