[THE INVESTOR] The number of manufacturing jobs in South Korea has decreased to the lowest in nearly three years, according to Statistics Korea on Sept. 30.

A total of 4.41 million workers were employed in the manufacturing sector in August, accounting for 16.7 percent of all South Korean employees. It marks the lowest since October 2013, when the ratio stood at 16.5 percent.

The proportion rose close to 18 percent early this year, but it has been on the decline since recording 17.5 percent in March.

Experts pointed out the nation’s manufacturing industry has hired more irregular workers in recent years, while scaling down the employment of full-time ones.

(theinvestor@heraldcorp.com)