"Let's All Smile Together"... Eom Jeong-hwa's Hit Song 'National Employment Insurance Song' Reborn

Singer Uhm Jung-hwa Appears in 'Festival' Parody... Broadcast for 2 Weeks
Promoting 'National Employment Insurance' Using Music Video Format
Ministry of Employment and Labor Emphasizes Need for Employment Safety Net for Working Citizens

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] "No more worries about unemployment benefits and maternity benefits! Sunny Days also supports reemployment!"

Singer Uhm Jung-hwa's 1999 hit song "Festival" has been reborn as the "National Employment Insurance Song" to strengthen the employment safety net. Recently, the Ministry of Employment and Labor filmed a nationwide employment insurance campaign featuring singer Uhm Jung-hwa in the form of a music video. The video is scheduled to be broadcast on news channels and YouTube for two weeks starting from the 9th.

An official from the Ministry of Employment and Labor explained, "We wanted to share the policy's purpose by rewriting a familiar song for the public," adding, "We highlighted the bright and positive daily lives of the people after the introduction of the national employment insurance." The advertisement features delivery workers, artists, freelancers, and self-employed individuals, emphasizing the need for an employment safety net for working citizens.

As part of the "Korean New Deal" policy announced last July, the government is gradually promoting the national employment insurance system. By progressively expanding the coverage of the first-tier employment insurance system, the plan is to establish a national employment insurance system that applies to all workers. The COVID-19 crisis has intensified damage to vulnerable groups in the labor market such as daily workers and special-type workers (STWs), raising the need to strengthen the employment safety net. According to an analysis of emergency employment stabilization fund applications by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the average monthly income of STWs and freelancers decreased by 69% compared to before the COVID-19 crisis.

The first step is to include artists and STWs, who have been in the blind spots of employment insurance, within the scope of employment insurance coverage. This campaign also conveyed the policy's purpose with lyrics stating, "Special-type workers, artists, freelancers, everyone needs employment stability." Among the amendments to the Employment Insurance Act, the section concerning artists passed the National Assembly last May. The government has prepared subordinate legislation for applying employment insurance to artists, which is scheduled to take effect from the 10th of next month.

In September, the government submitted a bill to the National Assembly regarding the application of employment insurance to STWs such as insurance planners and substitute drivers. Currently, opinions from stakeholders including STWs, employers, and labor-management organizations are being collected for legislation. The Ministry of Employment and Labor plans to process the bill within this year. Since the enforcement date of the law is set to be six months after promulgation, it is expected that STWs will be mandatorily covered by employment insurance as early as the first half of next year. STWs enrolled in employment insurance will be able to receive unemployment benefits if their income decreases or they lose their jobs.

To promote national employment insurance, a cross-government support system has also been established. Last month, a "Tax-Employment Insurance Income Information Linkage Task Force (TF)" was set up with participation from related ministries including the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Employment and Labor, National Tax Service, and Statistics Korea. This TF is preparing measures to link income information between tax and employment insurance. In July, a joint planning team of related ministries was formed to explore employment insurance application methods by type. Through this, the government plans to prepare a "Roadmap to Eliminate Employment Insurance Blind Spots" by the end of the year. An official from the Ministry of Employment and Labor stated, "National employment insurance is the foundation of the Korean New Deal," adding, "This campaign was planned not only to establish laws and systems but also to deliver hope that people can rise again even in difficult situations."

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