Korea’s reliance on semiconductor-driven growth, the accelerating spread of artificial intelligence (AI) and inflexible labor market institutions are weakening the quality of jobs available to young people, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said Monday. As economic growth fails to generate enough stable employment opportunities, more young job seekers are accepting temporary or daily work instead of holding out for regular positions. In its analysis of workers aged 15 to 29, the central bank classified regular employment as the primary labor market, and temporary and daily work as the secondary market. Since 2023, young people have shown a growing tendency to enter the latter, adjusting their expectations as hiring in the primary market remains sluggish. The report linked this deterioration to a combination of changes in the industrial landscape, advances in AI and rigid employment arrangements. One problem is the growing mismatch between the sectors powering the economy and those providing regular employment. Information technology (IT) manufacturing has become a stronger driver of growth but ge