Yeosu-si, Employment Rate Rises Despite Employment Freeze... 'Job Creation' Policy Shines

Established 268 Core Tasks This Year... Targeting 13,950 Jobs and 66.9% Employment Rate for Ages 15-64

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik] Yeosu City in Jeollanam-do continues to see an increase in employment rates through citizen-centered customized job creation despite the COVID-19 employment crisis.

According to Yeosu City on the 2nd, the employment rate for those aged 15 to 64 has maintained an upward trend over the past three years, recording 64.4% in 2018, 66% in 2019, and 66.9% in 2020 despite difficult conditions.

The city recently established the "2021 Detailed Job Policy Plan" in accordance with the Ministry of Employment and Labor's regional job target disclosure system and announced it on the city’s website and the regional employment information network.

This year, through 268 core tasks, the city aims to create 13,950 jobs and achieve an employment rate of 66.9%. This is an increase of 400 jobs and 0.4% in employment rate compared to last year’s plan.

Key strategies include ▲expanding public jobs in response to COVID-19 ▲customized job projects for different groups such as youth and middle-aged workers ▲regional and industry-tailored job projects ▲and revitalization of the social economy to drive sustainable job creation.

First, the city will help resolve job-seeking difficulties caused by the COVID-19 crisis by creating 12,653 direct public sector jobs such as senior jobs, public work, and school route safety guards.

To support youth employment and entrepreneurship, a budget of 6.5 billion KRW has been allocated to 27 projects including region-led youth jobs and the Dreamtteurak Mall boom-up project. For middle-aged workers, about 1 billion KRW has been allocated to four projects such as job matching, social contribution, and career-type jobs to promote reemployment for approximately 200 middle-aged individuals.

About 7.2 billion KRW has been allocated to create around 330 regional and industry-customized jobs through projects such as "Advanced Smart Manufacturing Workforce Training" and "Tourism Industry Workforce Training," linked with the Smart Green Industrial Complex renovation project, leading efforts to alleviate corporate labor shortages.

Despite the global economic crisis, the Gyeongdo Marine Tourism Complex, which is being developed with an investment of 1.5 trillion KRW and scheduled for completion by 2024, is expected to create about 2,400 jobs, and the city is making every effort to create jobs for local residents.

As part of the 7th term mayoral pledge to discover 100 social economy enterprises within the region, the city plans to address job shortages through 15 social economy revitalization projects such as Yeosu-style youth social entrepreneurs and youth village entrepreneurs.

Since 2017, the city has focused administrative efforts to expand the "Yeosu Citizen Employment Bonus System," which has shone amid the worst unemployment crisis by hiring 325 local talents out of 563 recruits (58%) from partner companies, to all companies in the Yeosu National Industrial Complex.

Additionally, the city is strengthening strategies to improve employment conditions in various fields such as operating the National Employment Support System, fostering specialized departments, and supporting reemployment for women with career interruptions. It is also fully committed to revitalizing the region by expanding new job infrastructure through large-scale investment attraction and fostering the 4th industrial revolution.

A city official said, "We are doing our best to ensure that the large-scale renovation of the Yeosu National Industrial Complex and the recent explosive growth of the tourism industry translate into regional vitality through effective job policies," adding, "Based on cooperation with related organizations, we will focus all policy measures on creating sustainable jobs suitable for the 4th industrial era."

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