Five in 10 young Koreans believe their current or desired job is highly likely to be replaced or reduced by AI within five years, according to a new survey. The concern was particularly pronounced among unemployed job seekers and those working in office or managerial roles.
The Korea Enterprises Federation commissioned polling firm Mono Research to conduct the survey, titled "Youth Job Perceptions Amid AI Expansion," which drew responses from 1,000 people between the ages of 19 and 34 who were either employed or actively seeking work.
Among respondents, 53.9 percent said the likelihood of their current or desired job being replaced or reduced by AI within five years was "high."
The figure was notably higher among unemployed job seekers — 63.8 percent of the 315 respondents in that group said the risk was high, compared with 49.4 percent of the 685 employed respondents. The gap indicates that those without jobs take the threat of AI-driven displacement more seriously.
When asked which jobs were most at risk, 58.4 percent of respondents in high-AI-exposure roles — such as office workers, managers and professionals — said the likelihood was high, compared with 45.8 percent among those in low-exposure roles such as manual laborers and skilled agricultural and fishery workers.
Looking at industries rather than job functions, 44.5 percent of respondents said their current or desired sector was highly likely to be replaced or reduced by AI within five years.
Among job seekers, 47.6 percent gave that response, slightly above the 43.2 percent among employed respondents. By sector, 54.5 percent of those in high-AI-exposure industries — such as finance, insurance and information technology — said the risk was high, compared with 43.5 percent in low-exposure sectors such as transportation, warehousing and construction.
The survey found that young Koreans simultaneously hold hopes that AI will enhance their professional expertise and career competitiveness, and fears that gaps in AI proficiency could leave them behind.
Some 64.7 percent of respondents agreed that AI technology would help improve their professional expertise and career competitiveness, while only 7.3 percent disagreed.
Agreement rates were nearly identical between job seekers at 64.9 percent and employed respondents at 64.6 percent. Those in high-AI-exposure roles agreed at a rate of 74.4 percent, far above the 50.8 percent among those in low-exposure roles.
On the question of anxiety about falling behind due to gaps in AI proficiency, 53.6 percent said they agreed, while only 13.7 percent disagreed.
Agreement was slightly higher among job seekers at 56.9 percent than among employed respondents at 52.1 percent. Those in high-AI-exposure roles agreed at 59.1 percent, compared with 43.6 percent among those in low-exposure roles.
Young respondents also expressed concern that the spread of AI could reduce opportunities for entry-level workers to develop into skilled professionals and widen gaps within the youth cohort. Some 65.6 percent said AI's replacement of entry-level tasks would diminish opportunities for young people to grow into highly skilled workers, while only 7.3 percent disagreed.
Meanwhile, 67.7 percent agreed that disparities in AI proficiency would widen income and career gaps among young people, with only 6.7 percent disagreeing.
When asked what policy measures were most needed to stabilize youth employment in the AI era, respondents ranked stronger support for companies hiring young workers first at 23.8 percent, followed by expanded entry-level job experience opportunities at 23.7 percent, enhanced AI skills training for youth at 19.8 percent, and improved working conditions in labor-shortage fields at 15.9 percent.
Lee Sang-ho, head of the federation's economic bureau, said existing youth hiring support programs — such as the Youth Employment Leap Incentive — should be supplemented to better support companies that provide entry-level job experience and AI skills training.
He added that internship and work-experience programs should also be upgraded to focus on project-based roles incorporating AI, giving young people more opportunities to build practical skills through hands-on AI use.
joze@heraldcorp.com
