Go to ILO main website

Korea, Republic of

Strategies for youth employment

Strategies for youth employment
Yes

Youth employment strategy planned in the next 2 years

Discussions within the government
No
Consultations with national-level stakeholders (e.g. employers’ and workers’ associations, youth councils, etc.)
No
A draft strategy already exists
No
Other (please specify)
No

Countries with national action plans for youth employment

Monitoring framework (timeline and activity/outcome indicators, e.g. youth labour market indicators)
Yes
Funding (indicative budget to implement the plan)
Yes
Institutional responsibilities (e.g. ministries/agencies in charge of specific planned activities )
Yes
Other, specify
No

Public funding for the national youth employment strategy

Public funding for the national youth employment strategy
Yes

Additional information:
The policy measures consist of specific projects carried out by several government ministries, including the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Ministry of Education, among others. The overall budget for these projects is coordinated and overseen by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Each ministry responsible for a project manages and executes its allocated budget independently.

Youth in the national development / employment strategy

Youth in the national development / employment strategy
Yes

Additional information:
The youth employment measures primarily target individuals aged 19 to 34, as stipulated by the Framework Act on Youth, enacted in February 2020. Additionally, certain programs, such as youth start-up initiatives, are available to those aged 39 and below, in accordance with the relevant legislation.

Countries with national goals for youth employment

Countries with national goals for youth employment
Yes

Additional information:
The primary objectives of each policy measure are adapted according to the current employment and economic conditions. For example, the “Measures for Promotion of Youth Entry into the Labor Market,” announced in November 2023, provide targeted support tailored to different stages -undergraduates, employed youth, and job seekers- focusing especially on vulnerable groups such as economically inactive youth, categorized by their specific needs.

Countries with quantitative targets for youth employment

Countries with quantitative targets for youth employment
Yes

Additional information:
• Reducing youth unemployment rate from 9.5% in 2018 to less than 8% in 2021.

Policy areas in national youth employment strategies

Macroeconomic and Sectoral policies
No
Enterprise Development
Yes
Education, Training and skills development
Yes
Labour Demand
Yes
Labour Law and Legislation
Yes
Labour Market Policies
Yes
Other (please specify)
No

Social partners' inclusion in the youth employment strategy

Workers
Implementation of youth employment strategies/programmes (e.g. social partners as official implementers of the strategy or programme)
Partially involved (only for some elements of the strategy)
Assessment of youth employability (alignment of youth qualifications and skills to labour market needs)
Partially involved (only for some elements of the strategy)
Monitoring and evaluation of youth employment interventions (e.g. active labour market programmes)
Partially involved (only for some elements of the strategy)
Awareness raising, marketing and promotion of youth employment (e.g. campaign to promote youth employment)
Partially involved (only for some elements of the strategy)
Formulation of youth employment strategies (e.g. national action plan for youth)
Consulted
Development of youth employment programmes (e.g. sectoral programme with a clear target to employ X number of youth)
Consulted
Employers
Implementation of youth employment strategies/programmes (e.g. social partners as official implementers of the strategy or programme)
Partially involved (only for some elements of the strategy)
Assessment of youth employability (alignment of youth qualifications and skills to labour market needs)
Partially involved (only for some elements of the strategy)
Monitoring and evaluation of youth employment interventions (e.g. active labour market programmes)
Partially involved (only for some elements of the strategy)
Awareness raising, marketing and promotion of youth employment (e.g. campaign to promote youth employment)
Partially involved (only for some elements of the strategy)
Formulation of youth employment strategies (e.g. national action plan for youth)
Consulted
Development of youth employment programmes (e.g. sectoral programme with a clear target to employ X number of youth)
Consulted

Youth-led organizatios' inclusion in the national strategy

Fully involved
Yes
Partially involved (only for some elements of the strategy)
No
Consulted
No
Informed
No
Not involved
No

Countries with national partnerships for youth employment

Countries with national partnerships for youth employment
Yes

Additional information:
2025 “The Presidential Committee on Jobs” was launched with the inauguration of the Moon administration in May 2017, and “Youth Task Force” that focused on youth policies was established under the Committee. (The tripartite groups and youth, the targets of such policies participated in the TF). In order to perform the role of managing and coordinating youth policies scattered across ministries, “Youth Policy Implementation Group” was established under the Office for Government Policy Coordination (July 2019), which was elevated to “Office for Youth Policy Coordination” afterwords to function as a control tower of youth policies. Additionally, teams in charge of youth policies were created and expanded at each government ministry to strengthen cooperation between them. The government operates the Youth Policy Coordination Committee, which brings together various experts and youth representatives to discuss issues related to institutional improvements for youth policies and other relevant matters. ______________ 2024 The “Presidential Committee on Job Creation” was launched after inauguration of the Moon administration in May 2017. The youth task force that is in charge of youth policies was created under the Committee. Tripartite partners and youth who are the beneficiaries of the youth policy are currently participating in this youth task force. Also, the “National Youth Policy Promotion Team” was launched in July 2019 under the Office for Government Policy Coordination to direct and coordinate policies pursued by different government ministries.

Inclusiveness of vulnerable groups in national strategies

Women
No
Migrant Workers
No
NEETs
Yes
People with disabilities
No
Low skilled workers
Yes
Rural workers
No
Other (please specify)
No

Youth employment strategies and international cooperation

Youth employment strategies and international cooperation
No