KOREA: More elderly returning to job market after retirement

. SOEUL, Korea / The Chosun Ilbo / National news / July 30, 2009 With the job market at a standstill amid the recession, youth employment is falling even further but more elderly people seeking jobs to make ends meet are being hired instead. The National Statistical Office on Thursday said older employees between 55 and 79 numbered 4.457 million, up 46,000 from last year. Chung In-sook, chief of the NSO's employment statistics team, said this was due to a significant growth in the elderly population, "and many elderly people return to the job market to make ends meet even after retirement." More than half or 52.5 percent of older employees did low-paying work, including odd jobs or labor in agriculture or fisheries. [rc] Copyright © 2009 Chosun.com