By Yi Whan-woo
Employment and Labor Minister Lee Chae-pil has promised to provide better job training for young jobseekers on a long-term basis.
“I consider myself as one of the runners in a relay race,” Lee, 56, said during a recent interview with The Korea Times.
“Once I do my best during my term, I believe it will eventually pay off and my successors will be able to serve in a better position than I am,” he said.
Lee has put top priority on providing work experience for college graduates so that they can have better job opportunities.
He has also stressed the importance of getting rid of the long-standing stereotypical attitude among college graduates toward small- and mid-sized companies.
Many jobseekers in their 20s and early 30s are discontent with the government because of the less-than-expected number of work opportunities, despite OECD data showing that Korea recovered fast from the global financial crisis.
Data shows that the employment rate of Koreans aged between 15 and 64 is 65 percent, slightly higher than the 64.7 percent in June 2008.
“I am aware of the fact that there is a discrepancy between statistics and how jobseekers perceive their circumstances,” Lee said.
“The country has one of the world’s highest numbers of college graduates, and they tend to favor positions with large companies affiliated with conglomerates.”
Most college-educated jobseekers, however, lack work skills while businesses nowadays prefer “ready-for-work” applicants or experienced workers.
Lee said job training centers operated by the ministry are a solution to fulfill the needs of firms. The centers, called Job Academy for Employment of Young Adults, are located throughout the country and train college graduates aged 31 or below to fulfill work duties at firms once they hired.
The college graduates tend to exclude mid- and small-sized firms on their job wish lists because of the stereotype that wages and other benefits there will not meet their expectations.
Lee came up with an internship program at mid-sized firms to give college graduates a chance to learn that the companies provide job satisfaction.
“And what the interns said is that the working conditions are far better than they expected,” he said.
Eighty-seven percent of the interns go to work for the companies after their internships end, according to Lee. He added that 80 percent of those employees stay at their companies for more than one year.
“The case shows that we have a way to solve the stereotype and bias toward mid-sized companies among college graduates,” he said.
“In contrast, a large number of college-educated workers hired by conglomerates quit their jobs early, resulting in social and financial losses. I believe the internship program is beneficial to recover such costs.”
The program takes place outside Seoul where a number of mid-sized companies desperately require workers.
Lee also vowed to maintain objectivity and fairness in dealing with labor disputes, specifically targeting an assault of the unionists at SJM, a car-part manufacturer, by hired “security guards.”
“Both employers and employees must obey the law in any situations, and the ministry will get tougher with any violators,” he said.
Around 150 SJM plant workers suffered from a brutal attack in July when they were protesting against the firm’s lockout in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province.
“We’re considering bringing the case to the court because we also found that SJM apparently violated a rule banning employers from hiring replacements for striking unionists,” he said.
He said that SJM was found to have hired 50 replacement workers, adding that any employer may face a prison term of up to one year or a maximum fine of 10 million won ($8,800) as long as it fails to comply with the rule.
The firm also had 11 South African employees who entered Korea with tourist visas.
“And we reported this to the immigration office so that they may face deportation for the violation of the law,” he said. “We have also asked police to take legal action against SJM for its alleged involvement in illegal labor practices.”