It takes 3-odd years to find jobs

It takes Koreans longer to find their first jobs after completing school than it does their peers in more advanced countries.

According to a report by Lee Byung-Hee, a researcher for the Korea Labor Institute (KLI), young Koreans take three years on average to land their first jobs. While Koreans usually graduate at the age of 21, many do not enter the workforce until age 24.3. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) statistics showed that graduates in its member countries finish school at the age of 20.1 and hold their first jobs at 22.9.

The report showed that Korean high school graduates join the work force at 20, while those who complete technical school or university get jobs when they reach 24 and 27, respectively.