About half of surveyed Japanese job seekers want to work at Korean firms
In short
A survey by the Tokyo branch of the Korea International Trade Association found that 50.8% of Japanese university students and job seekers would like to work for a Korean company in Japan. Only 39.1% said they know Korean companies well or somewhat, and respondents named fierce competition and a hierarchical, vertical culture as the main negatives.
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About half of the Japanese university students and job seekers in a recent survey said they would like to work for a Korean company in Japan. The Tokyo branch of the Korea International Trade Association released the 2026 survey of Japanese university students and job seekers' attitudes to employment. It found that 50.8% of respondents would like to work at a Korean company in Japan, with 19.5% answering "very much" and 31.3% "somewhat". [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
A further 46.1% said they would like to work in Korea, about twice the 23.3% who said they would not. The survey was conducted online among 297 people, including users of the Japanese job site Jobjaepan (잡재팬) and students at Japanese universities with Korean-language departments. Most outlets said the association announced the results on the 20th; Seoul Economic Daily said the 21st. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Asked about positive images of Korean companies, 70.4% chose progress in globalisation, 38.4% fast growth and 33.7% vitality and a challenging spirit. For negative images, 74.1% chose fierce competition, 65.7% hierarchy and a vertical culture, and 24.9% job insecurity. Kyunghyang Shinmun and Seoul Economic Daily noted that these questions allowed multiple answers. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Knowledge of Korean companies was lower than interest in working for them. Respondents who said they know Korean companies well (7.7%) or somewhat (31.3%) made up 39.1%, while 56.2% said they had only heard of them. The association said goodwill formed through Korean pop culture has not translated sufficiently into understanding of individual companies. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Respondents preferred work in arts, sports and tourism and similar culture and service fields (55.2%) and marketing and planning (44.8%). When choosing a company, they considered job content (73.1%), pay and treatment (72.1%) and holidays and leave (62.3%), in a multiple-answer question. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The association recommended that Korean companies wishing to secure excellent Japanese talent explain Korean-language requirements, duties, working conditions and selection procedures in concrete terms, and adjust hiring timing to Japan's graduate recruitment schedule. Asia Economy, Kyunghyang Shinmun and Seoul Economic Daily linked the interest to the Korean Wave or Korean culture. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Why it matters
The trade association said goodwill built through Korean pop culture has not translated into understanding of individual companies. It recommended that Korean employers publish concrete hiring information and adjust recruitment timing to Japan's graduate hiring schedule.
Key facts
- 50.8% of respondents said they would like to work for a Korean company in Japan: 19.5% "very much" and 31.3% "somewhat". [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- 46.1% said they would like to work in Korea, about twice the 23.3% who said they would not. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The most common positive image of Korean firms was "progress in globalisation" (70.4%), followed by fast growth (38.4%) and vitality and a challenging spirit (33.7%). [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The most common negative images were fierce competition (74.1%), hierarchy and a vertical culture (65.7%) and job insecurity (24.9%). [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Only 39.1% said they know Korean companies well or somewhat; 56.2% said they had only heard of them. [ 1 , 4 , 5 ]
- The online survey covered 297 people, including users of the Japanese job site Jobjaepan (잡재팬) and students at Japanese universities with Korean-language departments. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Korea International Trade Association's Tokyo branch survey found 50.8% of Japanese respondents want to work for a Korean company in Japan. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- 46.1% of respondents want to work in Korea, about double the 23.3% who do not. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Respondents' preferred fields were arts, sports and tourism (55.2%) and marketing and planning (44.8%). [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- When choosing a company, respondents weighted job content (73.1%), pay and treatment (72.1%) and holidays and leave (62.3%), in a multiple-answer question. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- The trade association said goodwill formed through Korean pop culture has not translated into understanding of individual companies. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- The date the survey results were released. Four outlets say the association announced or conducted the survey on the 20th; Seoul Economic Daily says it was announced on the 21st.
- What the 46.1% figure refers to. Most outlets describe it as willingness to work in Korea; Asia Economy describes it as willingness to work at local companies as well as Korean firms in Japan.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Korea Economic Daily published its report on the survey, dated 21 October, saying the Tokyo branch released the results on the 20th. [ 1 ]
- Asia Economy published its report on 21 October. [ 2 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun published its report on 21 October. [ 3 ]
- Seoul Shinmun published its report on 21 October. [ 4 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily published its report on 22 October, saying the results were announced on the 21st. [ 5 ]