Corporations have pledged to increase the scale of new hires this year and to bring forward the timing of hiring, as much as possible, to the first half of the year. They plan to recruit a significant number of personnel dedicated to the Nulbom School, air traffic controllers, and maintenance personnel, with the goal of establishing the largest number of direct jobs from the central government and local governments (municipalities) in the first quarter.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok, who also serves as Minister of Strategy and Finance, chaired a 'livelihood economy inspection meeting' in the job sector on the 14th and announced these measures. Officials from related ministries, including the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups, as well as stakeholders from the six economic groups, attended the meeting.
First, the government signed a memorandum of understanding for 'public-private job creation' with the six economic groups. According to the agreement, the economic groups will expand the scope of new hiring this year and strive to bring the timing forward to the first half of the year as much as possible.
Measures to support jobs in vulnerable institutional sectors will also be promoted. The government plans to create more than 1.2 million jobs by the end of the first quarter through the rapid hiring of direct jobs from the central government and municipalities. This marks the largest scale ever for the first quarter. Specifically, the government plans to hire 2,800 personnel dedicated to the Nulbom School early in February and recruit 500 personnel related to aviation safety, including air traffic controllers and maintenance personnel, by the end of the year.
The government also plans to quickly execute the SOC (social overhead capital) budget of 7 trillion won and public institution investments of 17 trillion won during the first quarter to support the construction industry and bolster related employment. The previously announced job support measures for the construction industry, including the 'emergency livelihood loan support,' will be expanded and extended, and additional measures such as support for the re-employment of construction workers will also be announced.
The government will also launch a 'customized' employment service for young and middle-aged vulnerable groups in earnest. Starting in March, the 'Youth Employment All-Care Platform' will be operational. If young individuals, such as graduates, agree to receive information, the government will provide 1:1 customized services to assist them in employment. It will also hold a joint public-private 'Korea Job Fair' and promote specialized programs for small business owners who have closed down, and a reorganization of the employment insurance support system for self-employed individuals.
Acting President Choi noted, 'Jobs are the source of household income and the driving force for corporate growth,' and said, 'The government will do its utmost to create at least one more good job in collaboration with the private sector to secure a momentum for reversing the livelihood economy.'
Meanwhile, according to the 'January employment trends' announced that day, the number of employed people increased by 135,000 compared to the same month last year, reversing to an upward trend after one month. The effects of the resumption of direct job projects contributed significantly to this. However, employment conditions in major industries such as construction and manufacturing, and for young people, have worsened.