A man checks job information on a bulletin board at the Seoul Western Employment Center in Seoul, Wednesday. Newsis

Korea’s latest 10-year employment outlook has delivered a stark message for workers: Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant threat, but a significant force reshaping which jobs will expand, which will vanish and what skills people will need to stay employed.

According to a 2024-34 workforce projection released Thursday by the state-run Korea Employment Information Service (KEIS), employees in routine-based, easily automated roles will face the heaviest job losses over the next decade, as new technologies rapidly transform the structure of labor demand.

Sales workers are projected to suffer the steepest losses, with employment in sales jobs expected to shrink by 268,000 over the next decade. Researchers tie this directly to the spread of online commerce and unmanned or self‑checkout systems.

Machine operators and assemblers are next in line. Employment of these workers, who run equipment and production lines in factories, is projected to fall by around 180,000 jobs as companies roll out industrial robots, AI‑driven production control and fully fledged “smart factory” systems.

Skilled craft and related jobs — including those in metalworking, automotive components and parts of the chemical and textile industries — are projected to lose 128,000 positions as more tasks become standardized, codified and carried out by high‑precision machinery.

Korea Times graphic by Cho Sang-won

The same pattern shows up at the industry level. Wholesale and retail trade — the backbone for many sales workers — is forecast to see employment fall by 431,000 jobs by 2034 as e‑commerce platforms, AI‑enhanced logistics and digital payment systems take over a growing share of transactions and inventory management.

In manufacturing, conventional car production, apparel and fur, metal processing and parts of chemical manufacturing are all projected to shrink as many companies restructure and automate, including through the shift from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles.

Restaurants, bars and other food service businesses are also expected to see employment fall as ordering, payment and some kitchen tasks become more automated.

Source: Korea Times News