Korea's car industry has grown sharply in the past 10 years, creating nearly 280,000 additional jobs, a report showed Monday.
According to the report by the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA), 1.75 million people were employed by Korea's car industry as of 2010, making up 7.3 percent of the country's total 23.83 million employees.
The number of employees rose 18.7 percent, or 276,000, from 1.47 million in 2001, compared with a 10.5 percent increase in total job creation over the same period, said the KAMA.
The number of workers hired by local auto parts companies grew by 36.8 percent over the decade, while car manufacturers increased their workforce by 15.5 percent in the past 10 years.
Shipments of cars and auto parts reached $68.4 billion last year, accounting for 12.3 percent of South Korea's total exports.
The KAMA said that the South Korean car industry will likely grow further due to increasing demand for green cars and smart devices, and the continued growth in the car industry will help expand other industries like electronics, environment and renewable energy.
(Yonhap)