Can seniors on welfare join government job programs? Debate grows

Minister of Health and Welfare Jeong Eun-kyeong visits "Hallo Market Second Spring" in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, on Aug. 7 to inspect a senior employment program operating indoors during a heat wave. [Yonhap]

Critics say the current system — which classifies seniors receiving livelihood benefits as unable to work and bars them from government senior employment programs — runs counter to policies aimed at encouraging economic activity among older adults.

A report released Monday by the Korea Senior Human Resources Development Institute, titled "Basic Research on the Participation of Livelihood Benefit Recipients in Senior Employment Programs," found that 10 experts interviewed in depth were divided on whether such recipients should be allowed to take part.

Government-run senior employment programs primarily target people aged 65 and older, but livelihood benefit recipients are in principle excluded from participation.

The rationale is that those already receiving state livelihood support would be receiving duplicate public assistance if they also joined publicly funded senior employment programs.

There is also a financial disincentive: if a livelihood benefit recipient earns income through a senior employment program, their benefit payments could be reduced or cut off entirely.

Those in favor of allowing participation argued that "excluding people solely because they receive benefits and isolating them from society is problematic, given that social participation gives people a sense of purpose and motivation," and that "excluding the most economically vulnerable is also inappropriate from an equity standpoint."

On the other side, concerns were raised that because the supply of senior employment slots is limited, allowing livelihood benefit recipients to join could displace existing participants and create resentment.

Some experts also noted a potential conflict with the self-sufficiency support system, which provides employment and skills support to basic livelihood recipients — including those on livelihood benefits — under the National Basic Living Security Act.

Opinions were split on how broadly participation should be permitted: some said it should be limited to public-service positions, while others called for a gradual, unrestricted expansion across all program types.

Based on these findings, the report said that "if livelihood benefit recipients are to be allowed to participate in senior employment programs, consideration should be given to allocating a separate pool of positions for them."

The report also recommended that "the system be carefully designed to account for the differing nature and pay of each job program type, with income recognition determined according to the nature of the work," adding that "the relationship with the self-sufficiency program needs to be clearly defined."

thlee@heraldcorp.com