National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee Discusses Employment Support Systems and Expansion of Employment Insurance

Ruling and Opposition Parties Agree on Expanding Employment Safety Net... Key Issues Include Securing Reemployment Stability

Imija, Chairperson of the Employment and Labor Subcommittee of the National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee, attended the Employment and Labor Subcommittee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 11th and made remarks related to the "Amendment to the Employment Insurance Act" and the "Job Seekers Employment Promotion and Livelihood Stability Support Act" for the introduction of the National Employment Support System before the meeting began. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee has begun discussions on related bills concerning the National Employment Support System and the expansion of employment insurance. Both ruling and opposition parties agree on expanding the employment safety net, but securing fiscal soundness and the scope of employment insurance expansion have emerged as key issues.

Im Eija, chairperson of the Employment and Labor Subcommittee of the Environment and Labor Committee and a member of the United Future Party, stated at the morning meeting on the 11th, “The United Future Party generally agrees with the purpose of the National Employment Support System. However, issues such as how much additional budget is required, how to coordinate the youth job-seeking promotion allowance given by each local government, and how to improve the Employment Success Package, which has not shown very good results, will be points of contention. Employment safety nets are important for working people, so we will do our best.”

On the same day, the Environment and Labor Committee held consecutive meetings of the Employment and Labor Subcommittee and the full committee to review the “Act on Job Seekers’ Employment Promotion and Living Stability Support,” which provides 500,000 won monthly for six months to low-income job seekers, and the “Amendment to the Employment Insurance Act,” which includes cultural artists and special-type workers in the scope of employment insurance. Earlier, President Moon Jae-in requested legislation in his special speech on the third anniversary of his inauguration, stating, “If employment insurance is the primary employment safety net, the National Employment Support System is the secondary employment safety net.”

The National Employment Support System primarily aims to provide employment support services to citizens who have the ability and willingness to work but have not found employment, and especially to provide job-seeking promotion allowances to low-income household job seekers for living stability. Considering the economic difficulties faced by citizens due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), there is also a high possibility that this bill will be processed.

The amendment to the Employment Insurance Act is a bill to include special-type workers such as artists contracted by employers, insurance planners, private tutors, quick service delivery workers, golf caddies, door-to-door salespersons, substitute drivers, and bathhouse attendants in the scope of insurance coverage. On the 10th, Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader of the Democratic Party, told reporters regarding the expansion of employment insurance, “We will hold sufficient consultations with the opposition party in May to ensure that as many of our citizens as possible are included within the scope of employment insurance according to the agreed terms.” He added, “The basic direction is to take at least one step further so that more citizens can benefit. I hope the opposition party will think progressively and open the door wider.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.