Ministry of Health and Welfare Partners with Gangwon-do to Create Senior Job Opportunities

Last Year Samcheok Pilot Project Expanded to 5 Cities and Counties in Gangwon-do

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] The Ministry of Health and Welfare is providing large-scale laundry collection, washing, and delivery services targeting vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, elderly living alone, and single-parent families through the senior employment project. Essential household items and over-the-counter medicines will also be delivered, and care services for vulnerable groups will be provided when necessary.

On the 10th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare signed a business agreement to create senior jobs through public laundromats in Gangwon Province, together with Gangwon Province, the Korea Senior Human Resources Development Institute, Kangwon Land, and five other companies. According to this agreement, seniors participating in the Ministry’s senior employment project in Gangwon Province will provide laundry and other services to vulnerable groups.

This project began last year as a new pilot project to discover senior jobs in Samcheok City, Gangwon Province (Senior Care Community ‘Laundry Basket of Hope’). Through this agreement, it is expected to expand to five additional cities and counties within Gangwon Province.

Specifically, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Senior Human Resources Development Institute will oversee the senior employment project and provide administrative and financial support for participating seniors. This includes wage support for participating seniors (72 million KRW annually), as well as the creation of work guidelines and training. Gangwon Province and the five cities and counties will support the installation locations and budgets for laundromats. Three public enterprises?Kangwon Land, Korea South-East Power, and Korea Water Resources Corporation?will support costs for space interior and installation of washing machines and dryers in the five cities and counties.

Additionally, BGF Retail (CU headquarters) will provide essential household items and over-the-counter medicines at low prices for vulnerable groups, and DPICO will supply electric vehicles needed for laundry and essential goods delivery and provide free repairs.

Yang Sung-il, First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated, “We hope this project, promoted through collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Gangwon Province, public enterprises, and private companies, will establish itself as a senior employment business model that can be expanded nationwide. We plan to continue efforts to increase such regionally linked senior employment projects in the future.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Welfare also checked preparations to prevent protection gaps for abused children separated under the 'Immediate Separation System.' The Immediate Separation System is a policy that immediately separates children suspected of abuse when abuse is strongly suspected in children reported more than twice a year, especially if the guardian interferes with the child's responses during the investigation. Gangwon Province plans to add one more shelter for abused children this year and assign 31 additional childcare workers to temporary protection facilities. Furthermore, a cooperative system with the health department has been established to ensure rapid COVID-19 testing for separated children.