The number of potential job seekers jumped in the third quarter of this year, data showed Friday, in an indication of a tougher employment market even though the nation's economy grew at a solid pace.

Potential job seekers, who are not categorized as jobless but are looking for jobs, rose by about 194,000 people on year to some 1.6 million people during the July-September period, according to the data by the Statistics Korea.

It was the first time that the quarterly number of potential job seekers rose on an annual basis since Statistics Korea began compiling the data in 2015. 

The number of potential job seekers fell by about 19,000 people during the second quarter of this year and about 58,000 people during the first quarter of this year.

As more middle-aged people try to join the job market, the number of potential job seekers appeared to rise during the third quarter, said an official at Statistics Korea.

With the economy showing signs of improvement, more housewives or retired people are looking for work, according to the official.

South Korea's economy grew 1.4 percent in the third quarter, marking its fastest growth in seven years, the Bank of Korea said Thursday. (Yonhap)