Ministry of Economy and Finance First Vice Minister Lee Hyeong-il (second from left) and Ministry of Employment and Labor Vice Minister Kwon Chang-jun (third from left) [Ministry of Economy and Finance]
Ministry of Economy and Finance First Vice Minister Lee Hyeong-il (second from left) and Ministry of Employment and Labor Vice Minister Kwon Chang-jun (third from left) [Ministry of Economy and Finance]

The government is moving to finalize a comprehensive plan to revive youth employment, covering talent development, job placement and long-term career growth. For sectors struggling with weak hiring — including manufacturing — authorities said they will analyze the causes by industry and deploy all available policy tools to craft tailored responses.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Employment and Labor held a joint interagency jobs task force meeting Tuesday at Government Complex Seoul, co-chaired by Finance First Vice Minister Lee Hyeong-il and Labor Vice Minister Kwon Chang-jun. The two ministries said the meeting focused on a youth employment recovery plan and on hiring trends and countermeasures in the manufacturing sector.

The government has determined that improving employment conditions in vulnerable segments — particularly among youth and in manufacturing — is urgent, as external uncertainties persist, including tensions in the Middle East. Officials said they intend to make youth employment and manufacturing sector hiring recovery the central priorities of second-half employment policy, building on the job growth recorded in June.

The meeting centered on specific tasks under a tentatively titled "youth employment recovery plan" that the government is preparing.

The government plans to develop measures to cultivate a future-ready youth workforce, connect young workers to quality jobs and provide ongoing support for career development after employment. The plan is to be refined through consultations among related ministries before an official announcement in the third quarter.

The government also said it will step up its response to sluggish hiring in manufacturing. Authorities plan to conduct a close analysis of recent manufacturing employment trends and the factors behind the weakness, with the jobs task force taking the lead in monitoring conditions by sector. Based on that analysis, tailored measures drawing on all available policy tools will be announced in stages through meetings of economy-related ministers and other channels.

Tuesday's meeting was a follow-up to a task force session held in mid-July, at which the government announced its intention to develop a youth employment recovery plan, and was aimed at reviewing the specific policy direction. The government said it will continue refining detailed policies through interagency cooperation, given that restoring youth employment and stabilizing manufacturing sector hiring are the key challenges facing the labor market in the second half of the year.


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