Seoul holds job fair for middle-aged workers with 70 employers and organisations
In short
Seoul city held the Seoul Middle-Aged Job Fair 2026 on 20 October at the Yangjae aT Center, with 70 companies and organisations taking part. It offered hiring consultations, on-site interviews, job experience and career consulting. Mayor Oh Se-hoon attended the opening and said the city would keep backing middle-aged job seekers.
Read the full story 2 min read
Seoul city held the 'Seoul Middle-Aged Job Fair 2026' on 20 October at Hall 1 of the aT Center in Yangjae, Seocho district. Companies and related organisations, 70 in all, took part, according to Asia Economy, Newsis and Yonhap. The city offered hiring consultations, on-site interviews, job experience and career consulting, along with information on finance, health and care, to support re-employment and career change among middle-aged people. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Mayor Oh Se-hoon attended the opening ceremony and presented commendations to representatives of companies and organisations that helped spread middle-aged hiring. Four were recognised for building workplaces where companies and middle-aged employees grow together: KFC Korea, the Korea Polytechnics I University industry-academic cooperation foundation, KTCS and Hyundai Green Food. Oh said widening re-employment opportunities and letting long careers shine in new jobs was what the city should do, according to Asia Economy and Newsis. [ 1 , 2 ]
The fair had six halls, among them a job hall and a middle-aged-friendly industry hall, which was new this year. In the job hall, employers introduced posts such as visiting study teacher, beauty marketer, interior platform manager and ship design, supervision and consulting. In the new industry hall, Shinhan Bank and other firms gave information on finance and pensions, health and care, and leisure and culture. Services also included application coaching, one-on-one career consulting and policy consultations. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
In an experience zone, job seekers tried electrician circuit wiring, high-pressure air-conditioner washing and airport baggage-screening reading, and a forklift used in logistics was demonstrated. A talk concert featured participants of the Middle-Aged Employment Academy. Newsis told of Choi Seung-gyu, 63, a secondary school teacher for 35 years who took an air-conditioner installation course and became a permanent employee in a department store's disaster-prevention office. It also told of Park Jeong-yeon, 46, who closed a cafe during COVID-19 and started a new business after an air-conditioner cleaning course. [ 2 , 3 ]
Dong-A Ilbo reported that the fair was meant for people aged 40 to 64. Kim Chung-ryang, 55, tried drone equipment at a booth and said he came to explore what work he could do. Hong Sun-mi, 60, who has worked in restaurant table service, said she consulted several employers and was told one would arrange an interview near her home the following week. The city said it would keep supporting follow-up matching of employers and job seekers through the academy and aim to turn consultations and training into actual jobs. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 ]
Photo captions from Asia Economy, Korea Economic Daily, Dong-A Ilbo and Chosun Ilbo showed job seekers queuing to enter and reading job boards. [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
Why it matters
The fair is aimed at re-employment and career change for people aged 40 to 64, according to the coverage. The city said it would keep matching employers and job seekers after the fair, but the documents give no figures on hires.
Key facts
- Seoul city held the 'Seoul Middle-Aged Job Fair 2026' on 20 October at Hall 1 of the aT Center in Yangjae. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Companies and related organisations, 70 in all, took part. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 8 , 9 ]
- The fair offered hiring consultations, on-site interviews, job experience and career consulting, plus information on finance, health and care. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The fair had six halls, including a middle-aged-friendly industry hall that was new this year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Mayor Oh Se-hoon attended the opening and presented commendations to organisations that helped spread middle-aged hiring. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The city said it would keep supporting follow-up matching of employers and job seekers through the Middle-Aged Employment Academy after the fair. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The fair took place on 20 October at the aT Center in Yangjae, with 70 companies and organisations taking part. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 8 , 9 ]
- Mayor Oh Se-hoon attended the opening and presented Seoul mayor's commendations to organisations that helped spread middle-aged hiring. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Four organisations were recognised: KFC Korea, the Korea Polytechnics I University industry-academic cooperation foundation, KTCS and Hyundai Green Food. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Job seekers could try tasks such as electrician circuit wiring, high-pressure air-conditioner washing and airport baggage-screening reading, and see a stand-up forklift demonstration. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- How many people attended the fair and how many found jobs. No document gives attendance or hiring figures; photo captions only mention queues and crowds.
- The experiences of individual visitors, such as a 60-year-old woman who said an employer would arrange an interview for the following week. These come from a single Dong-A Ilbo report.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Asia Economy, Newsis and Yonhap published reports on the fair held on 20 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Asia Economy published a photo of job seekers queuing to enter. [ 4 ]
- Korea Economic Daily published a photo of visitors at the job boards. [ 6 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo published a report on visitors and employers at the fair. [ 7 ]