Youth Labor Protection Center Counseling Extended Until 9 PM... KakaoTalk Counseling Also Available

Minister Lee Jung-ok Visits Youth Work Sites

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] The consultation hours at the Youth Labor Protection Center will be extended until 9 PM, and consultations via KakaoTalk will also be available.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced on the 11th that it will strengthen the functions of the Youth Labor Protection Center.

Currently, the centers operating in four regions nationwide?Capital area, Chungcheong area, Gyeongsang area, and Jeolla area?will extend their consultation hours until 9 PM, and thereafter, they plan to link with the 1388 Youth Counseling Hotline.

Consultations regarding unfair treatment and labor rights violations at the Youth Labor Protection Center reached about 50,000 cases last year, a significant increase compared to 32,822 cases in 2018. Starting next month, an artificial intelligence (AI) monitoring system will be introduced to improve the quality of consultations.

Additionally, a mobile Youth Labor Protection Center using KakaoTalk will be launched next month. By adding the KakaoTalk Plus Friend through #1388 and entering the school name, users will be directly connected to the Youth Labor Protection Center. Schools wishing to use this service can download and submit an application form from the Youth Labor Protection Center website. So far, 257 schools have applied.

The Ministry plans to further expand on-site labor rights education targeting youth and employers. The number of education sessions, which was 1,800 last year, will increase to 2,000 this year. In addition, together with private organizations such as the Youth Harmful Environment Monitoring Group, the ministry will provide information on labor-related laws and how to write labor contracts to employers nationwide.

Minister Lee Jung-ok of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family will visit a youth labor site located in Gwangmyeong City, Gyeonggi Province, this afternoon to hear the voices of working youth, employers, and counselors.

Minister Lee said, "Creating a healthy working environment is crucial for youth to develop a positive view of work and grow healthily. We will continue to strengthen the youth labor safety net and carry out education and promotional activities to protect labor rights and interests."