The number of Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) employees in their 20s fell by about 10,000 last year. Manufacturing positions in particular declined by several thousand, prompting analysis that the semiconductor manufacturing floor continues to bleed talent due to shift work and high job intensity, even with salaries in the hundreds of millions of won.
According to the "Sustainability Report 2026" published by Samsung Electronics on Thursday, the company had 259,149 employees last year, down 3,498 from a year earlier. It marks the third consecutive year of a decline of several thousand.
Employees under the age of 30 fell by 10,216 over the year. In contrast, employees between 30 and 50 increased by 4,714.
"Semiconductor manufacturing jobs require wearing dust-free suits, given the nature of fabs that must maintain cleanliness, and shift work is unavoidable because plants must operate 24 hours," an industry official said. "As this work environment is perceived among those in their 20s as a so-called '3D' job — difficult, dangerous and dirty — there are quite a few cases of voluntary departures."
In fact, the number of Samsung Electronics manufacturing positions fell by 3,059 last year to 102,512. By contrast, research and development positions rose by 166 to 89,150.
The turnover rate last year also stood at 0.6 percent (based on employees in their 20s working at domestic sites), up 0.2 percentage point from the previous year. The turnover rate for men was 1.9 percent, higher than that for women at 0.6 percent.
SK hynix (000660.KS), by contrast, showed a trend of rising total workforce. Its total number of employees reached 46,209 last year, up 6,109 from a year earlier. Of this, new hires accounted for 52 percent (3,201).
Among new hires, employees under the age of 30 increased by 2,560 from the previous year. The increase among employees aged 30 to 49 was smaller, at 608.
"The scale of Samsung Electronics' decline in employees in their 20s (10,216) is about four times the increase in SK hynix's new hires in the same age group (2,560)," an industry official said. "This is one aspect showing that some workers in their 20s are leaving the semiconductor industry."
The official added, "The fact that this trend appears even though the semiconductor industry offers the highest salaries in the country means it has become an era in which job seekers in their 20s find it difficult to choose a workplace based on salary alone."
