50,000 Special Employment Insurance Enrollments in 5 Months... 58% Are Insurance Planners

50,000 Special Employment Insurance Enrollments in 5 Months... 58% Insurance Planners

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The number of special employment workers (teukgo) such as insurance planners and delivery workers enrolled in employment insurance has exceeded 500,000 about five months after the system was implemented.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 22nd, as of the 10th, the number of special employment workers enrolled in employment insurance since its implementation on July 1st is 503,218. By occupation, insurance planners account for the largest share at 57.8%, followed by door-to-door salespeople (10.5%), delivery workers (9.3%), and home-study tutors (7.5%). Although 73,881 after-school instructors reported as enrolled in employment insurance were counted, they were excluded from this statistic due to the Ministry's additional verification process.

By region, Seoul, where many insurance planner workplaces are located, accounts for the highest proportion at 74.4%, followed by Gyeonggi (9.4%) and Busan (3.2%). By age group, 50s make up 35.8%, 40s 32.0%, 30s 16.0%, and 60 and above 10.6%. By gender, females account for 64.8% and males 35.2%.

The number of workplaces with special employment workers enrolled in employment insurance is 24,830, of which 59.8% (12,017 workplaces) actually have insured workers. It is reported that most of these are small-scale workplaces with fewer than 30 employees.

Special employment workers enrolled in employment insurance can receive unemployment benefits (job-seeking benefits) and maternity benefits if they meet the requirements. To be eligible for special employment insurance, the monthly wage earned through a labor provision contract must be at least 800,000 KRW. Starting January next year, those with two or more labor provision contracts and a combined monthly wage of 800,000 KRW or more will also be included in the coverage.

Additionally, two occupations?quick service and substitute drivers?outside the 12 designated occupations will be included in the employment insurance coverage starting January next year, when regulations regarding platform operators' employment insurance obligations come into effect.

Employment Minister Ahn Kyung-deok said, "Special employment insurance is successfully settling in," and added, "We will monitor to ensure more special employment workers are protected by the employment safety net and carefully prepare for the employment insurance for platform workers to be implemented from next year."

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