[Provided by Daegu city government]
[Provided by Daegu city government]

Daegu has launched an initiative to foster a corporate culture that harmonizes work and personal life, aiming to create a working environment that encourages young people to settle in the region.

The city hosted a joint declaration ceremony and symposium Wednesday afternoon at the Jungang Convention Center, bringing together labor, management, civic and government representatives to discuss ways to promote work-life balance and help young workers put down roots locally.

The event was jointly organized by the city government, the Daegu Labor-Management-Civil-Government Council, the Daegu Employers' Federation and the Daegu Work-Life Balance Support Center, and drew about 100 participants from across those sectors.

The program included a joint declaration, an awards ceremony recognizing companies with outstanding work-life balance practices, a mutual-cooperation network agreement signing and a symposium.

In the awards segment, Seohan Co. took the top prize for leading efforts to promote family-centered work-life balance practices. The Korea Real Estate Board and the Daegu-North Gyeongsang Province Advanced Medical Industry Promotion Foundation received excellence awards.

Participants also signed a mutual-cooperation network agreement to provide employees and their families at family-friendly companies with a range of benefits, including leisure, medical, cultural and educational services.

Eight new companies and institutions joined the network, among them The Hyundai Daegu and Samguk Yusa Theme Park, bringing the total number of participating organizations to 77.

Representatives from the city, businesses, labor groups and youth organizations then adopted a joint declaration calling for a family-friendly business environment and a corporate culture that encourages young people to stay and work in the region.

A symposium held under the theme "Building a corporate culture where young people want to work" examined shifts in Daegu's labor market and the direction of work-life balance policy, and featured case studies of companies that have supported the professional growth of young employees.

Experts and business representatives also exchanged views on attracting young talent and strengthening corporate competitiveness.

Jeong Eun-ju, head of Daegu's Youth, Women and Education Bureau, said the city would "strengthen cooperation among businesses, labor groups and related organizations to build a working environment where young people want to work and to spread a work-life balance culture."


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