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By Kim Bo-eun
The government has pledged to create 810,000 jobs in the public sector as a means to help young people struggling in the tight job market.
The Presidential Committee on Job Creation unveiled the plan as part of a five-year road map Wednesday.
President Moon Jae-in, who presided over the meeting, said the nation's top 30 business groups will increase hiring by 5.6 percent this year.
On top of creating more jobs on the public sector, Moon called for private companies to join the campaign to hire more employees. "Hyundai Motor converted 7,000 subcontractors into regular workers. KT, Hanwha, POSCO and Doosan Group will also join the campaign to create more jobs," he said.
Moon said the government will support innovative companies that actively hire more young people.
Under the plan, the government will create 340,000 jobs in the social services sector. It will start by adding 170,000 jobs in child care and nursing this year, for which there is a high demand.
An additional 170,000 positions will be created in the culture, sports and environment sectors.
The government will add 100,000 more police officers, 74,000 position in firefighting, social welfare and livestock disease control, and 174,000 in local-level civil servants.
It will secure 300,000 more positions by converting indirect employment to direct employment, by increasing positions at state-run companies and affiliated institutions and by cutting working hours.
However, it fell short of specifying funding for the job creation plan.
The government is seeking to prevent the overuse of contract workers, who are subject to poor working conditions. It will hire regular workers, while creating a list for when the employment of contract workers is permissible.
It will also seek to abolish discrimination against them.
Efforts will be made to reduce the gap in job quality for direct employees and subcontractors. Legal measures will be drawn up to protect minority workers in education, transport and sales who face disadvantages in job stability and insurance.
At the same time, the government has pledged to raise the minimum wage gradually to 10,000 won ($8.85) from next year's 7,530 won and establish measures that will prevent the overdue payment of wages.
It will create a system in which a maximum of 52 working hours a week will be established as the norm to help workers achieve a work-life balance.
Special provisions will be made for young people, women and the middle-aged.
The government will provide young people assistance in job-seeking, getting employed and job stability, while introducing incentives and regulations for the public and private sectors to hire young people.
The government will expand the use of a flexible work hour system among female workers. Under the status-quo, female workers can sign up for adjusted working hours during pregnancy and child care. The system will be expanded so it can also be used for family care, studies and training.
As a means to encourage childbirth and facilitate child care, the government will also increase allowances for child care leave and increase parental leave for husbands.
