South Korea posted the largest job growth in over seven years in September despite the protracted fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Statistics Korea said on Wednesday that the number of the employed stood at 27-point-68 million last month, up 671-thousand from a year earlier. It marks the biggest on-year job additions since 726-thousand posted in March of 2014. 

The country reported job growth for the seventh consecutive month with the pace of growth picking up again from a four-month slowdown including the addition of 518-thousand in August. 

All age groups saw an increase in employment from a year earlier, except for those in their 30s, who lost 12-thousand jobs. 

Jeong Dong-myeong, a senior official at the statistics agency, attributed the growth partially to a base effect from a significant decline in September last year amid the second wave of the pandemic but also cited eased social distancing, state relief payouts and vaccination as positive factors for job creation. 

The employment rate for those aged 15 or older rose by one percentage point from a year earlier to 61-point-three percent. 

The jobless rate dropped zero-point-nine percentage points on-year to two-point-seven percent, the lowest level for the month of September since 2013.