Chances of getting a permanent job are becoming slim to college graduates in South Korea grappling with the tight job market, data showed.

According to a survey on 1,112 university students graduating this year by the local job portal provider Jobkorea on Monday, 79 percent respondents said they have failed to get a job before the graduation. Only 11 percent of the total respondents were hired to a permanent position, while another 10 percent accepted a fixed-term job offer.

Prospective graduates with a job plunged against three years ago when 16.9 percent accepted a permanent offer and 22.2 percent a contract one in 2016.

Male students showed a higher permanent employment rate of 11.6 percent than female counterparts’ 10.3 percent. Such employment rate was highest among those majoring in commerce (13.2 percent), followed by science and engineering majors (12.2 percent), art majors (10.2 percent), and humanities majors (9.4 percent).

Among those getting a permanent offer, 15.9 percent said they would keep applying to big household corporate names, and 11.2 percent to state-run companies and public institutions.

The latest data give scant hope of any immediate recovery in the country’s dismal job condition this year. South Korea saw the highest number of jobless last year since statistics guidelines were revised in 2000 with job additions being the lowest since the aftermath of the 2008-09 global financial crisis. For full 2018, 26,822,000 were registered employed, up 97,000 on year, which is the smallest year-on-year job addition since 2009.

By Lee Jae-cheol and Lee Ha-yeon

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]