Gov’t Plans to Help Unemployed Young Jobseekers through Cash Support

by YuGee / Aug 13, 2016 09:59 AM EDT

'Virtually Jobless' Koreans (Photo by Chung Sung Jun/Getty Images)

The Ministry of Employment and Labor plans on supporting young South Korean jobseekers by offering up to 600,000 won as unemployment allowance.

According to a report from the Korea Times, the ministry announced on Friday, August 12, that it will offer 200,000 won in monthly financial support to adults under age 34 who are looking for jobs. Recipients can get up to 600,000 won for a maximum of three months.

In order to be qualified to receive the benefit, job hunters should take part in a program called The Package for Successful Job Landing in which they need to get training and counseling for potential careers or field of work.

Those who would receive the benefit are allowed to spend the money on job hunting-related activities. For instance, the money covers payment for photographs and rental of suits to be worn for job interviews.

Together with the state-run Youth Hope Foundation, the ministry will draft details of this program this month before the planned implementation in September.

However, the program is not in accordance with the Ministry of Health and Welfare's stand against the program of the Seoul Metropolitan Government to help a group of young unemployed people from 19 to 29 years of age. The program gives 500,000 won per month for a maximum of six months to youngster without jobs.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare claimed that the cash support is illegal and ordered the Seoul government to hold off the program and take back the money that it already gave to the 2,831 beneficiaries. The municipality rebuffed the order, leading to a ruckus over the allowance with the state.

The labor ministry's program, which is quite similar to that of Seoul's government, is also facing a discord with the welfare ministry because of giving cash to unemployed young adults. But the labor ministry said that theirs is different from the Seoul government's program.

According to a labor ministry official, "The fundamental ideas behind the two programs are different. While the ministry aims to help only those who are willing to work, the city government supports young people financially without knowing how they are going to use the money."