Mokpo City Confirmed for 1-Year Extension as Employment Crisis Area

Positive Signs for Overcoming Employment Crisis and Revitalizing Local Economy

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jeong Seunghyun] The designation period of Mokpo City as an employment crisis area has been extended by one year until December 31 next year.

According to Mokpo City on the 17th, the Ministry of Employment and Labor decided to extend the designation period of Mokpo as an employment crisis area until the end of next year at the 9th Employment Policy Deliberation Committee held on the 15th.

Thus, Mokpo City, which was first designated as an employment crisis area on May 4, 2018, due to the slump in the shipbuilding industry, the region's main industry, has had its period extended three times in total and will promote projects for regional economic recovery through national funding support.

Mayor Kim Jongsik of Mokpo and city officials built a network with eight local governments designated as employment crisis areas to cooperate and thoroughly prepared for the on-site inspection by the Korea Employment Information Service and the public-private joint investigation team to extend the employment crisis area designation, which was set to end this year.

They appealed the frozen employment reality such as the regional economic situation and the decrease in the youth population, explained the city's efforts to overcome the employment crisis through diversification of the shipbuilding industry and promotion of the offshore wind power industry, and persuaded the related ministry members.

Also, ahead of the 9th Employment Policy Deliberation Committee meeting, they submitted a joint petition containing the earnest wishes of the eight local governments designated as employment crisis areas to the National Assembly, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, mobilizing all administrative power until the end.

In particular, this extension decision is the result of not only the all-out efforts of Mokpo City and Jeollanam-do but also active communication and cooperation between Mokpo City and the local political circles, including a National Assembly press conference urging re-extension by 10 National Assembly members from Jeonnam, including Kim Won-i, the National Assembly member for the Mokpo district, and a recommendation from the Jeonnam Provincial Council urging re-extension of the employment crisis area.

With the additional one-year extension of the designation period as an employment crisis area, Mokpo City will continue to receive 14 types of government-wide job support measures for employers and workers, including employment stability and vocational skill development, regional employment promotion, comprehensive employment support measures, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises.

In addition, as the designation of the shipbuilding industry as a ‘special employment support industry,’ which was scheduled to end at the end of this year, has also been extended until the end of next year, benefits such as up to 90% support for employment retention subsidies will contribute to stabilizing employment for shipbuilding workers in the Mokpo area.

Mayor Kim Jongsik said, “I thank the central government ministries that decided to extend the designation of the employment crisis area so that our city can overcome the employment crisis during a very difficult time due to the shipbuilding industry slump and COVID-19, as well as Jeollanam-do, various institutions, organizations, and local political circles that joined forces.” He added, “We will do our best to actively implement the necessary support and projects for workers and citizens so that employment is maintained and the economy is revitalized.”

Meanwhile, Mokpo City has received 36.4 billion won in national funds over the past three years as an employment crisis area, implemented five rounds of the Hope Work Support Project, providing jobs to 8,527 citizens, secured 46.9 billion won in ordinary local allocation tax to overcome the employment crisis, and is smoothly promoting city projects.

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