Koh Hyun-kohn

The author is the executive editor at the JoongAng Ilbo.

This year, protests swept across Southeast Asia, Latin America and parts of Africa. Even advanced economies were not immune. In France, the "National Paralysis Movement" against austerity measures shocked observers worldwide. Demonstrations broke out in Italy, Spain and the United States. Young people were at the forefront.

These were not traditional protests over political ideology, religion or ethnic conflict. Instead, they stemmed largely from frustration over unemployment, inequality, corruption and financial hardship. Youth anger, built up over years, erupted against what they saw as the greed, hypocrisy and incompetence of older generations.

At the core of global youth discontent lies one issue: a lack of jobs. Artificial intelligence and automation are replacing human labor. Older people often retain the jobs that remain. Young people entering the labor market struggle to find stable, well-paying work. Many feel isolated and hopeless. Rüdiger Maas, head of the German Institute for Generational Research, said young people are "filled with fear of economic hardship." Resentment is rising. Some direct their anger at foreign workers and migrants, whom they see as competitors. Among young men, young women are sometimes viewed as rivals rather than partners. Anti-feminist sentiment is spreading.

The political center is shrinking. Moderate voices are being replaced by radical ones on the far right and far left. The rise of far-right ideologies among youth poses a challenge to democracies. Politicians, unable to offer meaningful solutions, resort to short-term populist measures. Populist leaders, from Europe to Latin America, and figures like U.S. President Donald Trump, are gaining traction.

Korea faces similar tensions. Xenophobia, anti-feminism, and radical politics have taken root among young Koreans. The risk of youth-led protests cannot be dismissed. Korea's manufacturing sector is under strain, hit by China's overproduction and U.S. tariffs. According to the National Data Office, the employment rate among those aged 15 to 29 dropped to 45.1 percent in September, marking 17 consecutive months of decline. Entrepreneurship is also faltering. Data from the National Tax Service shows that the number of business owners in their 20s fell by 26,000 in the first quarter, to 354,000. Some 440,000 young people are classified as neither employed nor seeking work.

Labor unions offer little support. Most defend the interests of older, full-time workers. Young job seekers and non-regular workers are largely excluded. As of August, 8.56 million workers - 38.2 percent of the workforce - were employed on non-regular contracts, the highest figure on record. Their average monthly wage is 2.08 million won, less than half that of regular workers. Roughly 700,000 young people are preparing for employment without success. Companies increasingly favor experienced hires. Humanities graduates find fewer opportunities. At SK hynix, only 4 of 623 employees hired at the start of the year held humanities degrees. New employees accounted for just 26.6 percent of total hiring, an all-time low. Those who spend their twenties moving between part-time jobs face deepening stigma once they reach their thirties.

This desperation was laid bare in Cambodia, where young Koreans were involved in incidents that drew harsh public scrutiny. Some were criticized for chasing easy money or falling for scams promising monthly earnings of 4 million won. But not all went abroad with unrealistic expectations. Had there been more opportunities at home, such tragedies may have been avoided. Blanket condemnation is neither fair nor productive.

With the stock market rising, many young people are turning to full-time investing. Traditional investment advice emphasizes long-term strategy and surplus funds. But those without stable jobs struggle to remain calm. Many take on debt to trade. According to f...