"Will You Move to the Regions for a Job at Samsung or SK Hynix?" Young People Give Unexpected Answers

"80% Would Move If Quality Jobs Are Available"
Only 41% Say Investment Announcements Influence Employment Decisions

Only half of young people expressed willingness to work in non-metropolitan regions, but 80% said they would apply if jobs matched their desired roles and were of high quality. The primary factor for youth employment was found to be the availability of job opportunities.

According to a survey on “perceptions of regional employment” released by Jinhaksa Catch on July 16, 51% of respondents said they were open to working in non-metropolitan regions, while 49% were not, showing almost an even split. The survey targeted 1,218 job seekers.

The main reason for a positive outlook on regional employment was “less competition for jobs compared to metropolitan areas” (41%). This was followed by “desired job is available in the region” (17%), “location is not very important” (16%), “family or acquaintances are in the region” (11%), “lower cost of living and housing” (8%), and “increase in high-paying jobs such as manufacturing positions” (6%). On the other hand, those with a negative view cited “a lack of jobs in their desired industry or role” (26%) as the biggest reason.

Yonhap News Agency

Meanwhile, if high-quality jobs in their desired field were available in regional areas, 80% of respondents said they would apply, far outnumbering those who would not (20%). Regarding the minimum annual salary for considering regional employment, 26% selected the range of 40 million to less than 50 million won, and 21% chose 50 million to less than 60 million won.

It remains uncertain whether regional investment policies will actually lead to more employment. According to the survey, 59% were aware of recent semiconductor investment plans in the Honam region by companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, and 20% had heard about them, meaning about 80% had encountered news on the topic.

When asked whether these investment announcements would influence their decision to work in non-metropolitan areas, the largest proportion—41%—said “not much impact.” Responses were followed by “positive impact” (39%), “not sure” (15%), and “negative impact” (5%).

Kim Junghyun, head of Jinhaksa Catch, said, “Young people take into account not only job opportunities but also living conditions and their future careers when choosing where to work. The inflow of talent into regional areas will increase only when quality jobs are supported by infrastructure such as transport, housing, and cultural amenities.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.