South Korean youth seek jobs in Japan

South Korean youth face a chronic shortage of desirable entry-level jobs, as major employers like Samsung Electronics prefer experienced workers. In contrast, aging Japan struggles to fill graduate positions. This has led to a growing trend of young South Koreans seeking employment in Japan. Moe Kasugai founded KOREC in 2019 to connect Korean job seekers with Japanese employers. This year, Wanted Lab and LAPRAS launched similar services, joining early mover Mynavi. Seoul hosted at least three Japan-focused job fairs, with companies like Canon Imaging Systems and Azbil hiring. According to the South Korea — Human Resources Development Service of Korea, 2,257 young Koreans took jobs in Japan last year through government-backed programs, a 47% jump from 2024, making Japan their top overseas destination. The trend is also reflected in increased marriages and tourism between the two countries. However, retention is a challenge as Korean workers often job-hop, conflicting with Japanese lifetime employment norms.