Joo Hyung-hwan, vice chairperson of the Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy, said on the 13th that the most important thing to overcome the population emergency is work-family balance and that there should be more good jobs without gender discrimination.
Vice Chairperson Joo made these remarks at the '2nd Regional Extinction Response Forum' held at the Daejeon Chamber of Commerce and Industry on this day. Joo said, gender equality should be realized in the workplace so that gender differences between women and men do not become discrimination, and a flexible working environment should be created to give parents time to raise their children.
Kim Young-soo, honorary research commissioner at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade, said, as good jobs are increasing in the Seoul metropolitan area, regional youths are being drained and that regions should also form networks to provide good jobs. Vice Chairperson Joo said, to reduce the burden on small and medium enterprises (SME) in regions, the substitute manpower support fund has been increased to 1.2 million won per month and a 200,000 won colleague work-sharing support fund has been newly established. Joo also noted that regular tax audits would be deferred for two years if SMEs are selected as family-friendly certified or work-life balance excellence firms.
On this day, local governments such as Daejeon, Chungbuk, and Chungnam announced measures to overcome the crisis of regional extinction. Daejeon will provide marriage incentives and basic childcare allowances. Chungbuk will support weddings and twin formula milk from 2025. Chungnam will establish 24-hour daycare centers operating 364 days and offer special public rental dwellings to expectant households. Around 30 people, including Vice Chairperson Joo, Yoo Deuk-won, Daejeon's deputy mayor for administration, Kim Soo-min, Chungbuk's vice governor for political affairs, and Kim Ki-young, Chungnam's deputy mayor for administration, attended the forum.