S. Korea to create 1.56 million jobs in public sector

May 15, 2020, 09:30 am

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Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki speaks at a meeting with economy-related ministers on May 14, 2020./ Source: The Ministry of Economy and Finance

By AsiaToday reporter Lee Ji-hoon

The government will draw up measures to create 1.56 million jobs in the public sector to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the job market. It will resume its job creation program that was temporarily halted due to the virus pandemic, including some 600,000 jobs for elderly and 550,000 jobs for vulnerable groups in society. The stalled hiring process for public officials and public institutions will be resumed starting this month.

The government announced the plan in an economic policy headquarters meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki, at Seoul Government Complex on Thursday.

“The government has been promoting the 10 trillion won-worth aid package for job protection prepared on April 22 to alleviate the employment shock. Under the plan, the government plans to focus on providing 1.56 million jobs in the public sector,” Hong said.

Of the 945,000 jobs that were funded by the conventional job budget, about 600,000 posts for the elderly and the socially disadvantaged that have not been opened due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be open soon. Some 445,000 jobs will be shifted to outdoor work that does not require coming into close contact with other people, and be resumed soon. The stalled hiring process for some 167,000 jobs will resume soon.

Priority will be given to those that were directly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, including temporary and freelance workers. The government will ease some rules to speed up the hiring process.

The government will also work on adding 550,000 or more jobs in the public and private sectors combined. For young jobseekers, 100,000 jobs related to digitization will be available in the public sector and 50,000 at private firms. 300,000 jobs will be offered to socially vulnerable people. For small and medium-sized companies, the government will provide subsidies to hire some 50,000 people.

At the same time, the government plans to resume the recruitment process for public officials and public institutions starting this month, to add some 48,000 new jobs in the public sector.

#public sector #jobs #Hong Nam-ki #job market #COVID-19