Momentum Builds for Youth Support Enhancement Bill... Legislation Office Announces 14 Proposed Law Amendments

Support for Economic Activities, Expansion of Education and Training, Youth Welfare Support Purpose
Legal Youth Age Target: 19-34 Years

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The Ministry of Government Legislation announced that it will publicly notify 14 legislative amendment bills aimed at strengthening support for youth for 40 days from the 15th to the 24th of next month. The purpose is to establish a legal foundation to enhance the protection of the rights of the youth generation and to provide sufficient opportunities related to economic activities for young people. A total of 11 relevant ministries are involved.

According to the Ministry of Government Legislation on this day, the laws subject to revision mainly include strengthening support for the economic activities of youth, who are core industrial manpower, increasing opportunities for vocational education and training, and establishing a support foundation for youth welfare. According to the Youth Basic Act, "youth" legally refers to those aged 19 to 34.

First, the amendment to the Framework Act on Small and Medium Enterprises adds youth as a target for government policies supporting SME activities, thereby promoting youth entrepreneurship. The Act on the Promotion and Modernization of Foundational Industries reflects the employment status of youth in the scope of manpower surveys for production-based industries.

Additionally, the Basic Plan for Vocational Education and Training implemented by the state includes vocational education and training for youth, and youth are added as targets for education related to labor rights and worker protection in the Act on the Promotion of Vocational Education and Training and the Act on Employment and Labor Education Institutes, respectively.

In the Act on the Promotion of Fisheries Science and Technology Research, youth in fishing villages are added as targets of education and training projects conducted by the state and local governments, and the Local Autonomy Act includes youth in local government affairs aimed at protecting residents and promoting welfare. The disqualification age for manufacturing and possession permits of firearms, swords, explosives, etc., is adjusted from under 20 to under 19 to align with the youth age defined in the Youth Basic Act.

Lee Kangseop, head of the Ministry of Government Legislation, stated, "We expect that the legal revisions for youth support being promoted this time will improve the lives of young people who face difficulties in employment and economic activities."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Government Legislation also announced that it will publicly notify a batch amendment bill for 28 laws clarifying disqualification reasons related to suspended sentences in an easy-to-understand manner for the public from today until the 24th of next month.