College graduates in South Korea not actively seeking employment

Nearly seven out of 10 four-year college graduates have practically given up searching for jobs, showed a survey published by the Federation of Korean Industries (KFI). 

According to the survey of 2,469 job-seeking graduates and undergraduates by the lobby group, 65.8% of respondents have stopped job searching, with 31.8% only habitually looking for employment, 26.7% rarely partaking in job searching and 7.3% taking a break. 

Meanwhile, 66.3% of respondents said they expected their job search process to last for at least half a year. Those expecting job searching to take over a year also amounted to 36.4%. 

Only 16% of respondents said they were actively hunting for jobs. 

Among those who do not actively search for employment, 38.8% cited the lack of job vacancies as the reason why they were inactive, while 49.5%, or almost half, said they were taking the time to better prepare themselves. 

Of those who said there was a lack of job openings, 14.5% said they felt they would not be able to find a job even if they tried, while another 14.5% said there were not many openings that satisfied their interest or college major. Another 9.8% said there was a lack of job openings that satisfied their desired working conditions. 

READ: South Korean young adults taking longer to find jobs

The survey also found that 28.8% of respondents thought the lack of entry-level job openings was the most adverse part of the job search process. Similarly, another 19.9% pointed out there was a lack of internships and opportunities for hands-on work experience, reported The Korea Herald.