[Yonhap]
[Yonhap]

Three in five local governments across South Korea failed to meet mandatory employment quotas for people with disabilities last year, new data shows.

According to data submitted to Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Seo Mi-hwa, a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, 139 of the country's 226 basic local governments — or 61.5 percent — did not meet the mandatory employment rate for people with disabilities as of 2025. Seo obtained the figures from the Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities.

The Act on the Employment Promotion and Vocational Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities requires the state and local governments to hire people with disabilities at or above a set ratio. The mandatory employment rate for local governments stands at 3.8 percent for both last year and this year.

As of December 2025, Boseong-gun in South Jeolla Province recorded the lowest rate at 1.14 percent, while Yeonje-gu in Busan posted the highest at 5.85 percent.

In the Greater Seoul metropolitan area, 24 of Gyeonggi Province's 31 basic local governments fell short — all except Hwaseong, Yongin, Suwon, Gwangmyeong, Uijeongbu, Osan and Uiwang. In Incheon, eight of 10 districts missed the target, with only Michuhol-gu and Yeonsu-gu meeting the requirement.

All 18 cities and counties in Gangwon Province fell short. In North Chungcheong Province, 10 jurisdictions missed the mark except Cheongju. In South Chungcheong Province, 13 fell short except Asan and Cheonan. In North Jeolla Province, 10 failed to comply except Muju-gun, Imsil-gun, Iksan and Jeonju. In South Jeolla Province, 20 missed the target except Muan-gun and Suncheon. Every jurisdiction in North Gyeongsang Province fell short. In South Gyeongsang Province, 13 failed to meet the quota, with only Hamyang-gun, Haman-gun, Changnyeong-gun, Sacheon and Goseong-gun in compliance.

In Daegu, only Gunwi-gun among the city's nine districts fell short. Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, Daejeon and Ulsan all met the mandatory employment rate.

"The mandatory employment rate for people with disabilities is the minimum standard set by the state to guarantee their right to work, and it serves as an indicator of labor rights and the potential for independent living in each region," Seo said. "For a society where people with disabilities can work and live alongside others in their communities, local governments must faithfully fulfill their legal obligations and create region-specific public jobs tailored to people with disabilities."


thlee@heraldcorp.com