Published : Sept. 19, 2019 - 13:43
South Korea will create some 96,000 new jobs in the social service sector in 2020 in line with its push to become a more inclusive country that takes better care of its citizens, the health and welfare ministry said Thursday.
The plan came amid the country's rapidly population aging and greater calls to look after young children and those suffering from health issues.
Asia's fourth-largest economy has steadily strengthened its social security infrastructure over the years, but its social service-related spending compared with its gross domestic product still remains low among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development members.
(Yonhap)
As of 2018, Seoul spent 11.1 percent of its GDP on social services areas compared with the OECD average of 20.1 percent. In terms of people engaged in social services, there were 72 per 1,000 people in the country engaged in this field compared with 133 for Germany and 179 for Norway, according to the ministry.
According to the plan, some 18,100 jobs will be added next year to look after the elderly, with around 13,500 jobs created to give expert care to kids and assist the physically impaired.
"If job creation moves forward as anticipated, it will be possible for the country to add roughly 340,000 new social service-related positions by 2022," the ministry said. (Yonhap)