US Employment Worsens, 'Estimated 580,000 Reduced by 180,000'; Korean Media Claims 'Surprise Increase'
While foreign media outlets reported the US job growth figures as "exaggerated," Korean media outlets differed, claiming the US job growth was "unexpected."
Reuters reported on the 11th that the largest employment gain in 13 months reported by the US Department of Labor on the 11th appeared to overstate the health of the labor market, with the revised results indicating the economy added only 181,000 jobs in 2025, instead of the previously estimated 584,000. This represents only a fraction of the 1.459 million jobs added in 2024, the last full year of former President Joe Biden's term.
Yonhap News reported that "US employment rose by a surprising 130,000 in January... unemployment rate fell to 4.3%." The article, titled "Statistical revisions lower last year's average monthly employment gain to 15,000, making 'no layoffs, no hiring' economy a reality... White House hassett: "No need to panic about low employment"," was reported on the 12th.
The Yonhap News Agency reported, "The U.S. employment situation has improved unexpectedly since the start of the new year," and added, "The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics announced on the 11th that non-farm payrolls increased by 130,000 in January compared to the previous month.
This represents a significant increase compared to December of last year (48,000) and also significantly exceeded the Dow Jones Industrial Average's forecast of 55,000."
Reuters reported, "U.S. job gains unexpectedly accelerated in January, and the unemployment rate fell to 4.3%," and "This signals a stable labor market and suggests the Federal Reserve may maintain interest rates for a period of time while policymakers monitor inflation," and declared an interest rate cut "impossible."
The Herald Economy reported on the 12th, "US employment surprises 130,000 in January... Expectations for a Fed rate cut in June diminish" with the subtitle, "Unemployment rate falls to 4.3%, probability of rate freeze until June rises to 41%; Hassett and Warsh: "Plenty of room for rate cut" vs. Schmid: "Maintain austerity measures," El-Erian: "Market reacts to weakened expectations for rate cut."
KBS also reported on the 12th, "US employment surprises 130,000 in January... Expectations for a rate cut diminish."
Reuters reported in the headline, “U.S. Job Gains Surge in January, But Labor Market Fails to Turn Around,” that “President Trump’s aggressive trade and immigration policies continue to cast a shadow over the labor market, economists said, cautioning against viewing January’s surge in employment as a significant change in the situation.” “Economists added that other indicators, including job postings, suggest a tepid labor market, and that job gains were concentrated in the health and social assistance industry, which accounted for nearly all of the gains,” and labeled it “Job Gains Concentrated in Health and Social Assistance.”
Reuters reported that <The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said that the harsh temperatures and snowstorms that hit large parts of the country did not affect the business survey, which calculates employment. However, the household survey results were affected by the bad weather, resulting in a below-average response rate of only 64.3%, and some economists warned against overinterpreting the unemployment rate, which fell from 4.4% in December>, and <Economists expected the winter storm to weigh on February hiring>, citing the economists' interpretation that "the severe winter storm in the U.S. did not adversely affect employment, but rather the survey." South Korea's National Data Agency interpreted the "employment decline" indicator as "the cold wave affected employment growth," and announced it to the press, which then reported it as is. The U.S. employment growth forecast for November was revised down by 15,000, from 56,000 to 41,000, and the December employment growth forecast was revised down by 2,000, from 50,000 to 48,000.
The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 4.3% in January from 4.4% the previous month and was 0.1 percentage point lower than analysts' expectations of 4.4%.
Reuters reported, "While manufacturing employment recovered somewhat, more than 80,000 jobs have been lost since Trump returned to the White House," adding, "Trump has championed tariffs on imports to revitalize factories."
U.S. employment also saw only modest gains in retail, utilities, leisure, and services, while the financial sector lost an additional 22,000 jobs.
Job losses were particularly strong in the transportation and warehousing, information, mining, and logging industries. The US employment gains were largely concentrated in healthcare, which saw a gain of 82,000 jobs, the largest increase since July 2020, and were distributed across ambulatory care services, hospitals, and nursing and assisted living facilities.
Reuters noted that the healthcare-focused increase "far exceeded the 2025 average of 33,000 monthly jobs, leading some economists to conclude the January increase was a fluke, and Social Security benefits rose by 42,000." The report also noted that "Construction added 33,000 jobs, which some economists attribute to data centers needed to power artificial intelligence and led by hiring of non-residential professional trade contractors."
US construction activity remained largely flat in 2025, while professional and business services payrolls increased by 34,000.
See <Trump Promotes Manipulation of Employment Report; Lee Jae-myung Claims Employment Downturn 'Cold Wave Influence' Manipulation, February 11, 2026>