Mapping the Focus and Gaps In Research on South Korean Neet Youth: A Scoping Review

Background and Purpose: Youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET) have become an increasing global concern, reflecting challenges in the transition from education to stable employment. In South Korea, youth unemployment remains relatively low compared to OECD averages; however, the number of NEET youth has continued to rise. Despite low unemployment rates, about 421,000 young people were classified as NEET in 2024 (Ministry of Employment and Labor [MOEL], 2025). This group is highly heterogeneous, with many having prior work experience and holding college degrees, suggesting that inactivity often reflects strategic delays driven by job-quality concerns and structural barriers, rather than simple disengagement (Lee, 2025; MOEL, 2025). This study reviews existing literature on NEET youth in South Korea, focusing on how the issue has been understood and what key themes and gaps emerge across studies.

Methods: A structured literature search was conducted across five databases: SocINDEX (n=15), Social Work Abstracts (n=1), Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection (n=3), Web of Science (n=25), and Academic Search Ultimate (n=25), yielding 69 records. After removing duplicates, 48 articles were screened, and 25 studies were included. The search combined keywords related to NEET and youth labor market transitions (e.g., NEET, youth unemployment, school-to-work transition) with terms such as “South Korea” or “Korea.” The review was limited to peer-reviewed studies published in English from 2015 onward to reflect recent labor market conditions and align with the introduction of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Study selection followed PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Because the term “NEET” is not always consistently used, studies addressing related concepts were also included, such as “resting” youth, a term commonly used in South Korea. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: The analysis identified seven main themes. Most studies focus on human capital, emphasizing education, skills, and credentials as key factors shaping youth transitions. Another major strand examines school-to-work transitions, often describing delayed and unstable entry into employment. Some studies also address individual and psychosocial factors, such as self-efficacy and career attitudes, as well as inequality linked to family background and early life experiences. While labor market structures are occasionally discussed, particularly in relation to mismatch and economic conditions, they are rarely examined in depth. Research on policy interventions remains limited, and gender and intersectional inequalities (e.g., gender, class, and family background) are still underexplored. Overall, the literature tends to prioritize individual-level explanations, with comparatively less attention to structural and institutional factors. This review is also limited to English-language studies, which may have excluded relevant research published in Korean and restricted its comprehensiveness.

Conclusions and Implications: The findings highlight the need for future research to more explicitly incorporate structural perspectives, including labor market conditions, welfare systems, and gendered inequality. For policy and practice, the results point to the importance of moving beyond individual skill-building approaches to address structural barriers and support more stable and equitable school-to-work transitions.