Unemployment in Seoul Soars

Jobless rate has risen by 20 percent in last five years, but still much lower the the United States'.

It is getting harder and harder to get a job, with Seoul's jobless rate rising by 20 percent over the past five years.

A study by the Seoul Institute showed Monday the number of unemployed citizens was 243,000 in the first half of this year, about 20 percent up from 207,000 in 2007 before the global financial crisis engulfed Korea.

This year's figure is higher than the five-year average of 228,000 people.