Cheongju City has recently reported a remarkable increase in its employment rate, reaching 66.0% in the second half of 2025, a 1.4 percentage point rise compared to the previous year. This achievement is particularly noteworthy as it positions Cheongju at the forefront of major cities with populations over 800,000, leading in OECD-standard employment metrics, including youth and female employment rates. The city has successfully reduced its unemployment rate to just 1.