A Hyundai Research Institute report claimed that the social waste of people with high-level educational backgrounds is at a critical level.

According to the institute, in the first quarter 18 percent of 3.09 million people were nonactive economic participants with a high-level educational background.

This includes those who are not interested in finding a job, those who have given up on job searches or are studying to find jobs afterward.

The situation is more severe for women in their 30s and 40s than their male counterparts, as many have been disconnected from their previous job experience while tending to household chores and childcare after marriage.

The study showed that those in their 30s and 40s accounted for 56.7 percent of the nonactive economic group with a higher level of education.

Women accounted for 86.9 percent among people in their 30s and 85.2 percent of people in their 30s.

Thirty-six percent of the women said they were either giving up their pursuit, not all too interested or waiting and studying for future opportunities as they have lost their connections from their previous work places due to childcare.

Forty-eight percent blamed housework.

Additionally, 90.6 percent of men in their 20s with a higher level of education said they had difficulty finding jobs that meet the wage and working environment they deem most appropriate, while women accounted for 87 percent.

The report said it was crucial to create a policy that would help encourage those nonactive economic participants to re-enter the job market.