No. of 50-something wage earners exceed that of those in 20s

The percentage of wage earners in their 50s has exceeded that of those in their 20s, and more than half of wage earners do not stay at one job for less than three years, Statistics Korea said Friday.

Those aged 50-59 accounted for 18.1 percent or 2.64 million of all wage-earning jobs last year, higher than 17.8 percent or 2.6 million for 20-somethings. In 2010, 19.5 percent of wage earners had been in their 20s, higher than 16.9 percent of those in their 50s.

The statistical office attributed the higher percentage of 50-something workers to 99,000 fewer jobs for those in their 20s and to the active pursuit of re-employment by the older generation.

The younger generation failed to take many new jobs, the report said, as jobseekers in their 20s landed 1.34 million jobs that were newly created or needed replacement, accounting for 36 percent of such jobs last year. Those in their 30s took 28 percent or 1.44 million such jobs.

In 2010, people in their 20s took 1.33 million new jobs, while jobseekers in their 30s occupied 1.32 million. Though the 2011 showings were partly affected by a dwindling population of 20-somethings, employers increasingly preferred workers with job experience rather than fresh college graduates.

january@donga.com