South Korea's labour market cooled sharply in April, with only 74,000 net jobs added — the weakest monthly figure in 16 months and a steep drop from the 200,000-range gains recorded in February and March. Government data attributed the slowdown to elevated oil prices and softening consumer confidence stemming from the ongoing Middle East conflict, with manufacturing shedding 55,000 positions and the science and technical services sector losing a record 115,000 jobs, while health and social welfare services remained a bright spot with 261,000 new roles. The unemployment rate held steady at 2.9 percent, though authorities flagged persistent risks from the regional conflict and pledged targeted support for young and older workers alongside measures to manage employment disruptions driven by the adoption of artificial intelligence.