S.Korea's job creation slows in June on MERS aftermath

Job creation in South Korea slowed down last month on the aftermath of the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), a government report showed Wednesday.

The number of those employed increased 329,000 in June from a year earlier after rising 379,000 the prior month, according to Statistics Korea.

Job creation in the manufacturing and construction sectors advanced 3.1 percent and 1.6 percent each last month, but those in the wholesale and retail industry as well as the food and lodging sector slowed on the back of MERS outbreak.

Employment in the wholesale & retail and the food & lodging sectors increased 141,000 in June from a year ago after rising 178, 000 in May. Those in the financial and insurance industry declined 6.8 percent last month.

The deadly corona virus has infected 186 people since the first case was identified on May 20. Among them, 36 people died of the infection.

After peaking in June, the MERS spread showed signs of abating in July, indicating an employment rebound this month. No new case of MERS infection was reported for 10 days through Wednesday.