"Nothing Is Going Right" The Triple Hardships of 20s Facing School, Part-Time Jobs, and Employment Barriers

Certification Exams and Hiring Delayed Due to Social Distancing Level 2.5 Upgrade
Second Semester Also Remote... University Students Struggle to Find Part-Time Jobs
Experts: "Government Must Step Up to Relieve Youth's Psychological Burden"
Health Authorities: "With 5 Days Left of Strict Distancing, No Extension Needed If Everyone Cooperates"

The photo is unrelated to the article content. Photo by Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Reporters Seunggon Han and Yeonju Kim] #Lee (27, female), who is preparing to become a flight attendant, was overwhelmed with frustration as the hiring doors closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She had expected recruitment to resume in the second half of the year as confirmed cases decreased in June, but the resurgence made even that hope difficult. Lee said, "I planned to prepare for becoming a flight attendant until this year, and if it didn't work out, I would look for another path. But this year, I don't even have the chance, and there are many days when I secretly shed tears," expressing her distress. She added, "I know everyone is going through hard times, but it feels so hopeless that no words can comfort me."

Due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation, people in their 20s are suffering from a 'triple hardship' of being unable to study, work part-time, or find employment. Since the end of last month, as confirmed cases surged mainly in Seoul and the metropolitan area, recruitment schedules for the second half of the year, various certification exams, etc., have been postponed following the first half. Additionally, social distancing measures have been raised, leading to the closure of libraries and study cafes, eliminating places to study.

College students who started the second semester online after the first semester also feel frustrated. Unable to use proper school facilities, they face difficulties continuing their studies, and their social activities have narrowed, leaving them practically unable to do anything.

According to a survey jointly conducted in April by the job portal Incruit and the part-time job app AlbaCall, 21.7% of job seekers and college students who experienced 'Corona Blue' (depression caused by COVID-19) cited 'anxiety and depression due to recruitment suspensions and delays caused by COVID-19' as a reason.

Other reasons included ▲depression due to bans on gatherings with friends and acquaintances (13.1%) ▲weight gain caused by lack of exercise and binge eating (6.5%) ▲resentment toward deviant behavior by certain individuals or groups (4.6%).

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As their activity areas sharply decreased, people in their 20s have been engulfed by severe lethargy and depression.

Lee (25, male), a college student who returned to school after military discharge earlier this year, said, "The plans I made when returning to school have been one by one frustrated, and I feel despair. It's very frustrating." He added, "It's also hard to meet friends, and I tried to find a part-time job to ease the burden on my parents, but even that is difficult."

He expressed his feelings, saying, "This year, nothing has gone well. Sometimes I wonder if the COVID-19 situation will ever end."

Kang (26, female), a job seeker, said, "I thought I would try part-time work since job preparation might take longer, but the competition in the part-time job market seems as fierce as in the employment market. I study while waiting for job postings that might come up anytime, but I feel mentally exhausted."

Moreover, as the trend of COVID-19 resurgence continues and there are prospects that the period of online lectures may be extended, students who enrolled in 2020, expecting to meet friends and seniors on campus, could not hide their disappointment.

Lee (21, male), a 2020 student attending a university in Incheon, explained, "Other than chatting with classmates via mobile messenger, we have never met together. It's not just festivals; even attending classes together is impossible, so it doesn't feel like I actually entered university."

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Experts have suggested the need for a 'Youth New Deal' to address the psychological instability among young people exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis.

Kim Hyun-soo, a psychiatrist, appeared on YTN Radio's 'Saengsaeng Economy' on the 1st and said, "One psychological characteristic of youth is instability?instability in career, economy, and future. Various spaces to relieve stress have been closed due to COVID-19, and culturally, young people have requested separate spaces for themselves."

He added, "A life without vitality for youth, a society with fewer working young people?this truly darkens the future of our entire society. Therefore, a Youth New Deal to redesign young people's lives is needed. Since many young people cannot resolve instability at home, if the government provides various supports to many young people, psychological stability can lead to economic activity."

Meanwhile, according to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 9th, as of midnight, there were 156 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Korea. Of these, 144 were domestic cases, and 12 were imported, bringing the total confirmed cases to 21,588.

The number of severe cases increased by 4 from the previous day to 154, and 3 deaths were reported on the day, with the cumulative death toll reaching 344.

Son Young-rae, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters' strategic planning team, said at a regular briefing on the 9th, "There are now 5 days left for the strengthened social distancing in the metropolitan area until this weekend. If we focus and work together on social distancing for these 5 days until the end of this week, we can control COVID-19 in a clearly stable state, so no additional extension will be necessary."

The metropolitan area's social distancing level 2.5 is in effect until the 13th, and nationwide level 2 distancing is until the 20th. Whether the metropolitan area's level 2.5 will be extended depends on the quarantine situation during the remaining 5 days.

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