Middle-age unemployment on rapid rise

According to the Ministry of Labor Thursday, the number of middled-aged jobless people totaled 358,000 as of the end of February, up some 40 percent from 250,000 in October last year.Unemployment among this segment of society peaked at 558,000 in February 1999, in the aftermath of the foreign exchange crisis that began in 1997. The figure dipped as low as to 250,000 in October last year, but since then it has steadily risen. Middle-aged joblessness reached 257,000 in November, 273,000 in January and 358,000 in February.

The government is striving to lower unemployment among older workers by encouraging restructuring companies to introduce outplacement programs and expanding job training for the middle-aged. Despite the measures, companies remain reluctant to hire middle-aged people, officials said.

Chung Yong-Gwan yongari@donga.com