SEOUL, KOREA - The jobs number for the month of August increased almost 600,000, continuing the rally for two consecutive months. This is the highest number in 14 years for the usually slow month for employment. According to analysts, this is largely due to the Chuseok holidays that fell on earlier than usual in the second week of September, which prompted retailers and wholesalers to hire part-time workers in preparation for holiday demand.
According to a report "August 2014 Employment Trend" published by the National Statistical Office on September 12, the total number of employment in August was 25,885,000, up 594,000 from the same month a year ago. The monthly net increase number dipped for three months between April and June, followed by a pickup in July (505,000) and August.
During the month of August, employment tends to be slow because of hot, humid weather coupled with the fact that millions of people go on summer vacations. But this year's August turned out to be exceptional. Thanks to the Chuseok holidays that came earliest on the solar calendar in 38 years, retailers and wholesalers hired a large number of part-timers.The industrial sectors such as retail and wholesale (160,000), social welfare and services (159,000), lodging and restaurants (125,000) saw the largest increase by 4.4 percent, 10.0 percent, and 6.2 percent, respectively.
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