Who Moved the Career Ladder? AI and Young Workers in Korea
· Report dated 18 August 2026; the English landing page was posted on 3 September 2026.
Summary
Using Korean pension records and a labor-force survey, Oh and Oh find that youth employment declined most in industries with high AI exposure between June 2022 and June 2026. The pattern includes weaker hiring and increased exits from employment, while employment among workers in their 50s rose in those industries.
Why it matters
The findings extend the debate about AI and early-career employment beyond the United States. They highlight how automating entry-level tasks could affect both current jobs and the experience needed to become a skilled worker.
What to keep in mind
The associations do not establish that AI caused the decline. Exposure is not adoption, and Claude-based usage measures do not directly observe Korean workers. Pandemic hiring reversals, demographics, remote work and changing hiring and training practices can also explain the patterns.