District recognized for 'Career Pause, Restarted' program supporting women's safe return to work
Two consecutive minister-level awards for gender equality policy achievements spanning work-life balance, childcare and employment support
Yangcheon-gu has won the Ministry of Employment and Labor Minister Award in the local government category at the 2026 Gender Equality Policy Awards, in recognition of its gender equality initiatives including a program supporting career-holding women in returning to work.
The Gender Equality Policy Awards recognize outstanding local gender equality policies and strengthen the effectiveness of policy implementation plans under the Framework Act on Gender Equality. Co-hosted by the National Network of Women Local Assembly Members and Women's News, this year's awards recognized seven local governments nationwide.
Last year, the district won the Ministry of Interior and Safety Minister Award for its "Moms Back at Work, Happy Yangcheon with Safe Overnight Childcare" initiative. This year's Ministry of Employment and Labor Minister Award marks two consecutive years of minister-level recognition at the Gender Equality Policy Awards.
This year, Yangcheon-gu has continued to advance comprehensive gender equality policies across five areas based on its gender equality policy implementation plan: creating an equitable labor environment, building a childcare safety net, supporting victims of violence, spreading a culture of gender equality, and strengthening the policy foundation.
Particularly highly regarded was the district's flagship program, "Career Pause, Restarted — Supporting and Activating Safe Re-employment for Career-Holding Women." Yangcheon-gu became the first autonomous district in Seoul to commission a research survey of 1,091 career-holding women, identifying actual employment demand including preferred job types and working arrangements. The findings were used to build a Yangcheon-specific talent network and incorporated into vocational training and employment support policies.
Tailored vocational training that began with two courses in 2023 has since expanded to six, and the number of partner vocational education institutions has grown from one to two.
The district has also broadened its educational offerings beyond general office work and basic job placement to include career-development fields such as digital and AI skills courses and tax practice, as well as childcare roles in high local demand including elementary school aftercare and extended-day program instructors. As a result, 140 program graduates have so far secured employment or launched their own businesses.
Beyond this flagship program, Yangcheon-gu is pursuing a range of practical gender equality policies residents can feel directly, including year-round operation of the Yangcheon-style emergency overnight childcare center, job placement for 1,139 women through a job fair and job-plus center, and hygiene product support for 1,310 female youth.
"It is meaningful that our efforts to bring the voices from the field into policy have led to this recognition," Yangcheon-gu District Mayor Lee Gi-jae said. "We will continue to build an even more robust set of gender equality policies closely tied to residents' daily lives — covering jobs, childcare and work-life balance — to create a gender-equal city where everyone can grow together."
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