No. of multiple job holders up 22.4% on yr in Q1

[Photo by MK DB]

The number of Koreans with two or more jobs is on a rise, with young people in particular taking on content creation and delivery as side jobs.

According to data from the National Economic Activity Survey released by Statistics Korea on Monday, the number of employed individuals with second jobs increased by 22.4 percent in the first quarter of this year from a year ago, averaging 552,000 per month.

The proportion of side job holders among all employed individuals, which stood at 1.34 percent in the first quarter of 2019, rose to nearly 2 percent last year, the highest level in five years.

The elderly population, under cost-of-living pressures, accounted for a significant percentage of the side job holders.

Those aged 60 and over made up the largest population at 194,000, followed by 118,000 in their 50s, and 115,000 in their 40s.

The most significant increases, however, were seen among young people, with the highest growth rate among those in their 20s and 40s.

The increase in multiple job holders is believed to be related to platform jobs, primarily represented by delivery riders.

Many platform jobs offer flexible hours and are more accessible than traditional employment. Side jobs in the information and communications industry, such as content creation, are also prevalent because they can be done without time or location constraints, as long as there is access to a computer or smartphone.