Young jobseekers in dire straits

By Kim Tae-jong

Beginning in kindergarten and continuing through to their last year in high schools, South Korean students are driven to reach one single goal: win the fierce competition to enter a prestigious university.

Even if they achieve this, the struggle doesn’t end as high tuition fees must be paid. Once they graduate, another war is waged to land a good job.

Kim Jun-seok, a college graduate from Daegu, has been suffering for months as he hasn’t found work.

For college graduates like Kim, this time of year is critical as they could remain jobless for a long time if they fail to secure a position before the spring recruitment season ends.

“I find myself increasingly impatient. It’s really stressful, especially when I talk to my parents,” said Kim. “Though they try to conceal their concern, it’s quite a burden. I think I should have delayed my graduation to earn more time to prepare for the job search.”

Last summer after graduation, he interned at a fashion firm in Seoul, but after submitting his resume to dozens of related companies, he realized that it’s almost impossible to be employed at a company he prefers.

“You can get a job if you lower your expectations. But when you think of pay levels, vision and working conditions, there are only limited options. And the competition is too fierce to be hired at such companies,” he said.

Not only graduates but also current university students share the gloomy sentiment over the unemployment crisis. The graduation season has just ended in a less festive mood and most students are focusing on more and better qualifications for a future job even as freshmen.

“It’s a matter of survival. Most students think if they don’t get a job right after graduation, their unemployment status might continue for a long time,” Jang Ha-neul, a university student at Kunkook University, said. “There is no longer any sort of romantic campus life.

University is just a huge job training center now.”

They are suffering from a triple whammy of high tuition fees, rising living costs and dire job prospects.

Upon graduation, many are in debt and some are degraded to credit delinquents due to their inability to repay tuition loans amid difficulties in finding a job. Some of them are forced to choose extreme methods to free themselves from the vicious cycle.

A 28-year-old jobless man surnamed Kwon was found dead at the end of February on the ground floor of an apartment complex in Busan in an apparent suicide, according to the police. His family said he had long suffered from depression as he failed to get a job, two years after graduation.

In 2009 a total of 268 undergraduates and graduate school students committed suicide, citing difficulty securing employment as being one of the key reasons, according to the National Police Agency.

“Maybe it’s not so strange that so many suffer from depression and some choose to commit suicide in despair,” said Chu Duk-han, head of the National Jobless People’s Association. “The basic human rights of young jobseekers are often neglected. They have to overcome hardships as they experience a lot of rejection in the job-seeking process and at the same time must deal with financial difficulties.”

Unemployment benefits

To rectify the unemployment problem, the government has introduced various measures to support young jobseekers. But the youth unemployment rate continues to rise, recording 8.5 percent last month, the highest level in the past six months, according to state statistics.

Most jobseekers think the government’s relief measures for unemployment are ineffective, calling for improved and more practical support.

According to a recent survey by the Youth Community Union (YCU), 74 percent of respondents said the current government policies for youth unemployment are far from effective.

The survey was conducted between October 2010 and January 2011 on 645 jobseekers nationwide with their ages ranging between 15 and 40.

The survey also discovered that expenses for job-seeking preparations are the biggest burdens.

Over 60 percent said they spend more than 300,000 won ($265) while job hunting, mostly on private education, examination application fees, purchasing text books and accommodation.

As the job-seeking period is prolonged, many go into debt. About 60 percent in the survey said they don’t have any savings and about 20 percent said they are in debt with 60 percent of it resulting from student loans and other education-related expenses.

“Most young jobseekers are unhappy with the current government’s policies, which don’t reflect their practical needs,” said Cho Keum-deuk, director of YCU. “And it also shows they need to have some protection with a social safety net. Even non-subscribers to unemployment insurance need unemployment benefits while they’re looking for a job.”

The government is running various programs to help unemployed young people find a job, mainly by creating employment opportunities at public organizations, introducing internship programs and setting up training centers, but it fails to make an impact on their welfare, she said.

A bill to reform the current unemployment insurance system was proposed by Rep. Hong Young-pyo of the main opposition Democratic Party last March, but it’s still pending.

The government maintains a careful stance on the issue, saying there are many things to consider in order to offer unemployment compensation to non-insurance subscribers.

“We understand young jobseekers need some financial support as they don’t have unemployment insurance since they never had a job before,” said Lee Min-jae, official from the Ministry of Employment and Labor. “But it’s really tricky as we also have to think of the overall fairness in consideration of unemployment insurance subscribers.”

피폐한 생활을 하는 대학생들

유치원을 시작으로 고등학교를 졸업하면, 한국 학생들은 하나의 목적에 도달한다. 심한 경쟁을 뚫고 좋은 대학에 들어가는 것.

그러나 심지어 이 목적을 달성한다 해도, 그들의 투쟁은 끝나지 않는다. 높은 학비를 내야하고, 또한 졸업을 하고 나면 좋은 직장을 얻기 위한 전쟁에 놓이게 된다.

대구 출신의 대학 졸업생인 김준석군은 직장을 찾지 못해 몇 달 동안 고생을 하고 있다. 김군과 같은 대졸자들에게, 이맘때는 아주 중요한 시기이다. 봄 구직 시즌에 취업을 하지 못하면, 실업 상태가 오래 갈 수 있기 때문이다.

졸업자뿐만 아니라, 대학생들 또한 실업 문제로 인한 우울한 기분을 느끼고 있다. 졸업 시즌의 축제 분위기는 찾아 보기 힘들고, 대부분의 학생들은 좀 더 나은 “스펙”을 만들기 위해 신입생 시절부터 대부분의 시간을 보낸다.