Not Just Simple Jobs... Concerns Over the Decrease of Over 60,000 Public Senior Jobs

Public Senior Jobs Reduced by 10% from 608,000 to 547,000
"Senior Jobs Are Not Simple Jobs... Increasing Social Participation Helps Resolve Physical and Psychological Issues"

On July 5, when the heatwave was intensifying, elderly people were waiting to receive free meals at Tapgol Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] The government has decided to reduce public-type senior jobs by 10% starting next year to improve fiscal soundness. However, since public-type senior jobs play a role beyond mere income generation by helping elderly seniors participate in society, there are criticisms that reducing them is inappropriate.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 31st, the total job budget prepared by the government for next year is 30 trillion won. This is 1.5 trillion won (4.9%) less than this year's main budget of 31.5 trillion won, which was the highest ever recorded.

The government will first reduce public-type senior jobs. The senior job projects are operated in three categories: public-type, private-type, and social service-type. This year, a total of 845,000 jobs were allocated. Among them, public-type jobs account for 608,000, making up the majority of senior jobs. Public-type jobs target elderly seniors aged 60 to 65 and above, who work about 30 hours per month on average and receive 270,000 won. The tasks include assisting with elementary school students' commute safety, monitoring no-smoking zones, environmental maintenance, and kiosk assistance.

Next year, the number of such public-type senior jobs will be reduced by 61,000 to 547,000. Instead, the government announced it will invest more budget in private-led jobs. On the 25th, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho explained at a budget briefing, "The absolute scale of senior jobs has not changed significantly. However, we have made some adjustments to slightly reduce direct simple labor-type jobs and increase private-type jobs."

However, with the elderly poverty rate ranking first among OECD countries, there are concerns that reducing public-type jobs could deepen the economic poverty of seniors. On the 31st, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the reduction of senior jobs at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly, saying, "There is no other way to describe this but as heartless," and added, "Many people are suffering from rising prices these days, but there are reports that the job budgets for youth and seniors have also been drastically cut. I really question whether this budget is for the people."

In 2020, the suicide rate for those aged 80 and above was 62.6 per 100,000, approximately three times higher than the average suicide rate of 25.7 per 100,000. Photo by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Life Respect and Hope Foundation, published in the "2022 Suicide Prevention White Paper."

Additionally, public-type jobs have played a role beyond simple employment by increasing seniors' social contact, but there are concerns that reducing the number of seniors participating in jobs may increase feelings of isolation.

Experts explained that public-type jobs provide opportunities for seniors' social participation, helping to alleviate psychological issues such as loneliness and supporting a healthy old age. Im Chun-sik, Professor Emeritus of Social Welfare at Hannam University, said, "Public-type senior jobs are not just simple jobs but have a social welfare nature. Realistically, it is very difficult for elderly seniors to find jobs, and that is why the state has stepped in to create public-type senior jobs."

Professor Im explained that although there is a perception of senior job projects as 'consumptive welfare,' it is a policy with clear cost-effectiveness. He said, "It promotes seniors' social activities to relieve isolation, enables a regular lifestyle to reduce social costs, and makes active aging possible. By assisting with elementary school students' commute safety, it can broaden intergenerational contact, and by performing public-interest environmental maintenance, it can provide a sense of satisfaction that 'I am contributing to society.'"

He added, "The satisfaction level of seniors with the senior job projects is also high, exceeding 70%. A society that recognizes and values the roles of seniors is the healthiest society."

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