Youth Employment Promotion Special Committee Reviews 3.3 Trillion Won in Youth Job Policies

[Financial News] The Ministry of Employment and Labor held the second 2026 meeting of the Youth Employment Promotion Special Committee on the 30th. The meeting addressed the direction and plans for youth employment policies, as well as the implementation of the public-sector youth employment obligation system. Young people, business representatives, education organizations, experts, and relevant government ministries attended.
 The ministry plans to increase the youth employment budget from approximately 2.6 trillion won this year to 3.3 trillion won next year, an increase of about 700 billion won, and make it a priority investment.
 The ministry plans to pursue youth employment policies along three lines: expanding practical skills and experience, investing in helping young people settle into their first jobs, and supporting advancement into better jobs.
 A budget of 489.5 billion won has been allocated to the K-New Deal Academy, in which large companies directly design practical job-experience programs. The Youth First Employment Support System and Youth Playground—an online and offline community for participants in government job programs—will receive 379.3 billion won and 20.1 billion won, respectively.
 The ministry plans to expand the Youth Employment Leap Incentive to regional large companies and increase the number of beneficiaries. It will also establish the First Job Career Support Program, which will provide wages and career-building support for up to two years to young people performing tasks related to the transition to artificial intelligence (AI).
 In addition, the ministry will introduce subsidies for young people taking jobs in the Seoul metropolitan area and increase the long-service incentive for young people in regional areas to up to 18 million won. It will expand the Integrated Career Certification Service, which recognizes career experience regardless of employment arrangements, including freelance work.
 The committee also discussed the implementation status of the 2026 public-sector youth employment obligation system.
 Public institutions hired 12,592 new employees in the first half of this year, an increase of approximately 2,000 from the same period last year.
Kim Young-hoon, minister of Employment and Labor, emphasized, "A young person's first career is the surest investment in sustainable growth for our society," adding, "The country and society must provide a sturdy ladder that enables young people to take on challenges without fearing failure."

[email protected] Kim Jun-hyeok Reporter