The nation added around 211-thousand jobs in July to post the slowest growth in 29 months.

According to Statistics Korea on Wednesday, the number of employed people stood at 28 million-686-thousand last month as the country posted the lowest gain in 29 months since February 2021, when 473-thousand jobs disappeared. 

The total is a sharp decrease compared to earlier this year, when 300-thousand to 400-thousand jobs were added each month, with the growth declining for the fourth consecutive month.

The employment rate for those aged 15 and older rose by zero-point-three percentage points on-year to reach 63-point-two percent in July, with the rate for those aged 15 to 64 rising by zero-point-five percentage points on-year to 69-point-six percent in July, the highest since the nation started compiling related data.

The number of employed people aged 60 and older rose by 298-thousand, while the figure for those aged 15 to 29 decreased by 138-thousand on-year in July, the ninth consecutive month of decline for that age group.

The unemployment rate dropped by zero-point-two percentage points on-year to two-point-seven percent last month, the lowest since the nation started compiling related data in June 1999.