Gov’t to expand job program to job seekers outside Seoul

Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jung-sik, sixth from left. [Courtesy of the Ministy of Employment and Labor]

South Korea will significantly increase the scale of a government-sponsored work experience initiative for younger Koreans, aiming to raise the number of participants to 40,000 in 2024. As part of this expansion, six program centers will be added across six regions in non-capital areas, with a specific focus on enhancing work experience opportunities.

“We will scale up the work experience program from 20,000 participants this year to 48,000 next year,” Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jung-sik said on Wednesday, when he visited PSK Inc., one of Korean chipmaker SK hynix Inc’s partner companies that specializes in plasma dry strip (photoresist stripping) application.

The work experience program is designed for unemployed younger Koreans, enabling them to carry out real-world projects and enhance their job skills by engaging in practical tasks.

Kim Ji-hong, a 24-year-old participant, said, “This experience is effective in helping me understand the competencies I need to develop. PSK chief executive officer Lee Kyung-il also stressed the importance of identifying and recruiting young talents for sustainable growth in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving global semiconductor market.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor will expand the work experience program in collaboration with financial institutions. By the end of 2023, six regions outside Seoul will be selected to establish work experience centers, where tailored experiences will be offered to meet the specific needs of each region.

A recent poll found that companies reported high satisfaction with the program. According to the survey of 321 companies participating in the program conducted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 85 percent expressed satisfaction.