By Kang Hyun-kyung
President-elect Park Geun-hye vowed Friday that the government, in collaboration with the public and private sector entities, will form a supportive system to help young people find overseas jobs.
Her remarks came amid rising youth unemployment and worsening job security here.
“During the presidential campaign season, I promised to pursue the so-called “K-Move” initiative designed to motivate young people to influence the global community,” she said in a speech at the global job fair held at COEX in southern Seoul. “I encourage young people to look beyond Korea when searching for jobs. The government will build a system to help them write their own success stories in their professional areas all over the world.”
Under the scheme, Park said, the government will create a database in collaboration with such agencies as Korea International Cooperation Agency and Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency which has extensive global networks to provide information on job openings overseas. She also vowed to build a supportive system to help young entrepreneurs create start-up firms.
The president-elect lauded Koreans who went overseas to work decades ago when the nation was very poor, saying they are good examples for youth these days to follow.
Approximately 8,000 South Koreans went to Germany to work as miners from 1963 to 1977, some returning to Korea after their contracts of two or three years ended. Others settled in Germany. Additionally, 11,000 South Korean nurses went to the European country from 1963 o 1976.
“In those days when people here were poor, your predecessors went to Germany to work as nurses and miners and Middle Eastern countries to work very hard as construction workers,” she said. “Now people of your age need to go overseas proudly with confidence and become global leaders. Don’t be afraid of the challenges ahead and be ambitious to make your dreams come true.”
College students, recent graduates and those who currently have overseas jobs attended the job fair.