Eight out of ten public institutions in South Korea have fulfilled their youth employment obligations, resulting in the hiring of approximately 25,435 young people.
In South Korea, recent findings indicate that 84.6% of public institutions met their youth employment obligations last year, with a total of 25,435 young individuals being employed. This is a significant recovery from previous years, marking the first time in three years that hiring numbers have surpassed the 20,000 mark. The Youth Employment Obligation mandates that public agencies must hire at least 3% of their workforce from the youth demographic, defined as individuals aged between 15 and 34.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor reported that a total of 462 institutions were subject to this obligation, with 391 successfully complying. This reflects an increase of 12 institutions fulfilling these requirements compared to the previous year. Conversely, 71 institutions failed to meet the obligation, prompting the Ministry to publish their names and to consider the imposition of penalties in management evaluations. Notable organizations on the non-compliance list include Incheon International Airport Corporation and the Korea Broadcasting Advertising Corporation, which cited challenges such as staff shortages and operational restrictions affecting their ability to hire.
Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon highlighted the ongoing issues with youth unemployment, with 230,000 unemployed young individuals and an additional 420,000 preparing for the job market. To address these challenges, the Ministry plans to implement tailored support measures for different employment stages – including preparation, job searching, and existing employment situations. This initiative aims to enhance the prospects of young job seekers in an increasingly competitive job market.
