Ministry of Employment and Labor, Korea Chamber of Commerce co-host youth employment forum

Forum addresses work experience, entrepreneurship and AI-driven job creation

AI and youth employment [The Herald Business DB]
AI and youth employment [The Herald Business DB]

As AI spreads, young people are finding it harder to enter the labor market and build careers — prompting the government, businesses and social enterprises to join forces in search of solutions.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry co-hosted the "AI Era Youth Employment Forum" at COEX in Seoul on Tuesday, drawing about 200 participants from government, business, academia, social enterprises and youth groups.

The event was one of the programs held as part of the third Korea Social Value Festa, a two-day event that began Monday. It was organized to assess how labor market shifts — including the spread of AI — are affecting youth employment, and to discuss ways to support young people's entry into and growth within the workforce.

The first session focused on diagnosing youth employment challenges in the AI era and exploring solutions, with discussion centered on the roles of government, businesses and employer associations.

Jang Ji-yeon, a senior research fellow at the Korea Labor Institute, presented an overview of the current state and challenges of youth employment in the AI era. Kim Min-hwan, executive vice president of SK AX, introduced cases of youth employment support through corporate environmental, social and governance activities. Lee Sang-bok, head of the human resources development division at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, outlined employer associations' current efforts and plans to support youth employment in the AI era.

The subsequent discussion examined the roles of and cooperation among government, businesses and employer associations in helping young people enter the labor market smoothly and build sustainable careers.

The second session focused on how social enterprises can create youth jobs through work experience programs and entrepreneurship support.

Lee Jae-heung, a member of the National AI Strategy Committee, presented the potential for job creation by linking the social solidarity economy with AI transformation. Kim Jeong-tae, chief executive of MYSC, said a system for measuring and trading the social outcomes generated by youth employment needed to be introduced.

Representatives from social enterprise startup support organizations, youth work experience programs and startup companies shared on-the-ground cases and discussed ways to improve existing policies. Participants said social enterprises could serve as a platform for growth, giving young people the chance to gain hands-on experience, develop ideas and move toward launching businesses and creating jobs.

Im Yeong-mi, director general for employment policy at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, said the government must work together to ensure that changes brought by the AI era become opportunities for challenge and growth for young people, rather than a source of vague anxiety. "We will work with businesses and social enterprises to expand work experience and entrepreneurship opportunities for youth, and provide close support from job preparation through labor market entry and career development," she said.


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