Park Moon-soo, a director of senior coverage division on the Ministry of Well being and Welfare, speaks throughout an occasion held at The Plaza Lodge in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
Marketing campaign launched to assist seniors discover jobs as extra want to stay in labor drive
By Jung Min-ho
As Korea is predicted to turn into a super-aged society subsequent yr, with greater than 20 % of the inhabitants being 65 years or older, the federal government is stepping up efforts to advertise optimistic photos of older staff.
The Ministry of Well being and Welfare stated on Monday that it’ll run a weeklong marketing campaign to boost consciousness of its efforts to create jobs for older adults and assist enhance perceptions of those that stay energetic within the labor market within the later levels of life.
“Having a job is crucial not only for revenue stability but in addition for high quality of life,” Lim Eul-ki, director normal on the ministry’s senior coverage division, stated at an occasion held in Seoul. “Because the nation enters a brand new period, with greater than 10 million senior residents … We’ll make the utmost effort to help them.”
In the course of the marketing campaign, scheduled to proceed at Seoul Plaza till Sept. 27, the ministry plans to assist older jobseekers by providing corporations incentives for hiring them or introducing them to coaching packages they might want to seek out work.
In cooperation with the state-funded Korea Labor Drive Improvement Institute for the Aged (KORDI) and personal teams representing senior members of society, the ministry additionally plans to carry varied on-line occasions to unfold optimistic photos of such staff.
Jobs they will discover by way of the federal government packages may very well be something, from consulting for the tech trade to serving to younger college students safely cross streets close to their faculties and reporting vehicles parked illegally.
Critics say giving them such tax-funded “straightforward work” is a waste of the federal government’s price range. However on condition that Korea’s senior poverty price is likely one of the highest amongst OEDC member states and lots of older adults would in any other case dwell on welfare, officers stated such criticism is out of contact with actuality.
Practically 40 % of Koreans over 65 dwell under the OECD’s poverty line, which is ready at half the nationwide median revenue, based on authorities knowledge.
For that reason and others, many older adults want to stay energetic within the labor drive even after their compelled “retirement” at a sure age.
Folks verify the job board arrange at a public plaza in Suwon, on this Oct. 11, 2023, file picture. Newsis
In accordance with a report launched final week by the Korea Institute for Well being and Social Affairs, a suppose tank, greater than 41 % of Koreans surveyed stated they might help the concept of extending their authorized retirement age, which is round 60 in most state-run and personal corporations.
That determine was considerably increased than these surveyed in different nations, together with Italy (8.6 %) and Denmark (7 %).
Though a steady revenue is the chief motive for most individuals working after their retirement, it isn’t the one one. Ministry officers stated many accomplish that additionally for well being and for that means in life.
In accordance with a survey launched throughout the occasion, the speed of older adults suspected of getting melancholy is much increased amongst those that don’t work. Different analysis additionally confirmed that having a job helps folks keep their bodily and psychological health.
Officers say their mission to assist older adults discover work and stay within the workforce is likely one of the key insurance policies within the face of Korea’s drastic workforce transition amid its falling complete fertility price, which is already the bottom on the planet.
