[In-Depth Look] The 'Corona Generation' Is Coming

This semester, I am teaching a course on magazine publishing theory and practice in the Department of Journalism and Broadcasting at a local university. Most of the students are seniors. In their final year before graduation, their feelings are understandably mixed, and as they prepare for employment, time flies by in the blink of an eye without much being accomplished. Reflecting on my past experience of entering society without much help from my four years of university studies and without any preparation, I resolved to diligently focus on both theory and practice. At the beginning of the semester, I wrote in the course introduction that by the end of the class, we should strive together so that we can confidently say we are "prepared individuals." However, an unexpected variable?the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19)?struck, and the semester is ending without me having met the students even once.

Creating video materials and conducting classes via Zoom was unfamiliar and labor-intensive at first. But seeing students submit assignments faithfully and participate in class despite the difficult circumstances encouraged me, and through the remote practical course, the students created innovative mobile magazines. I hope this experience will help them in their job search, but it is frustrating because I cannot expect such outcomes. The graduating students this time, along with other young people, are being called the "COVID generation," surpassing the "N-po generation," and they will personally experience the worst employment crisis in history.

According to the "May 2020 Employment Trends" recently released by Statistics Korea, due to the impact of COVID-19, the number of unemployed people (1,278,000) and the unemployment rate (4.5%) soared to the highest levels since statistics began in 1999. The shock of COVID-19 is directly affecting the youth. Major companies have halted hiring, and even part-time jobs have disappeared, making the employment difficulties felt by young people in the job market even more severe. The youth unemployment rate reached 10.2% (426,000 people). The expanded youth unemployment rate stands at 26.3%.

What is most concerning is the rapid increase in young people in a "NEET (Not in Education, Employment, Training)" state, lacking social belonging, as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. According to the Korean Youth Report published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the number of youth NEETs in Korea has been increasing annually, reaching 18.4% in 2017, higher than the OECD average of 13.4%. The proportion of highly educated youth NEETs was 42.5%, the highest among OECD countries. COVID-19, which has worsened the overall economy, has made an already difficult reality even more bleak. For these young people, concepts like "work-life balance," the 52-hour workweek, loans for newlywed rental deposits, or parental leave are like dreams.

The government has introduced many emergency support measures following COVID-19. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters announced a "Public and Youth Job Creation Plan" aimed at providing 550,000 jobs to vulnerable employment groups. The so-called digital jobs for youth mainly focus on short-term jobs lasting up to six months. These short-term jobs do not seem likely to provide substantial education and training leading to stable employment. While aiming to promote digital transformation to create jobs, I wonder if they considered that the Fourth Industrial Revolution, represented by artificial intelligence (AI), replaces humans with machines and ultimately reduces jobs when formulating these policies.

The International Labour Organization (ILO), in its report on the impact of COVID-19 on workers worldwide, predicted that this crisis has dealt a heavy blow to young people and could have long-term effects on their job opportunities and career choices. The ILO is particularly concerned that young people are facing a triple shock: not only are jobs decreasing, but vocational education and training are being disrupted, making labor market entry and job transitions more difficult.

The crisis the COVID generation will face is as serious as COVID-19 itself. This means our future is grave. From the perspective of young people themselves, it is necessary to identify their actual policy needs and present concrete policies that resonate with them. Rather than event-driven policies or short-term measures like "youth allowances," a strategy that naturally connects education and training to labor market entry is needed. This cannot be achieved by the government unilaterally formulating policies. The public and private sectors must join forces to provide broader and deeper support. There is definitely an answer.

Ham Hyeri / Journalist and Cultural Critic