Governor Dongyeon Kim Vows to Expand "Public-Type Senior Jobs" by 10,000 Despite Government Cuts

Gyeonggi Province Governor Dongyeon Kim (fourth from the left) visited Suwon Bambat Senior Welfare Center on the 27th and announced plans to expand more than 10,000 public-type senior jobs next year. He is taking a commemorative photo with officials inside the welfare center. Photo by Gyeonggi Provincial Government

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Younggyu] Gyeonggi Province Governor Dongyeon Kim has announced plans to allocate the province's own budget to increase the number of "public-type senior jobs" by about 10,000 next year.

Public-type senior jobs refer to volunteer activities in which seniors participate to enhance self-satisfaction, a sense of achievement, and promote the public interest in their communities. These include "senior-to-senior care," which involves caring for seniors who need assistance due to illness or other reasons, support for vulnerable groups, volunteering at public facilities, and passing on life experience.

These jobs are mainly filled by elderly individuals with an average age of 75 or older, and offer several advantages such as helping seniors maintain their livelihood, preserve their health, and achieve emotional stability through interpersonal relationships. The public-type senior job program is funded by the national government.

On the 27th, Governor Kim visited Bambat Senior Welfare Center in Suwon and pledged that Gyeonggi Province would significantly increase its own budget in next year's budget plan, expanding the number of public-type senior jobs from about 96,000 this year to approximately 105,000 next year, an increase of about 10,000 positions.

Governor Kim stated, "While the central government has reduced the number of senior jobs for next year, Gyeonggi Province plans to increase senior jobs by about 10,000 compared to this year. Going forward, the province will do its utmost to protect and continuously support vulnerable groups, and there will be many new initiatives for these groups next year."

He added, "The economic outlook for next year is not favorable, and under such circumstances, the province is paying particular attention to the industrial sector and job creation."

After the meeting, Governor Kim donned a sanitary uniform and volunteered to serve meals at the senior dining hall, gaining firsthand experience of senior jobs.

Meanwhile, the province will raise the meal support unit price by 1,000 won next year to improve the quality of free meals for seniors and reflect rising prices as part of the 8th popularly elected administration's goal to create a "Gyeonggi Province where seniors are happy." The province also plans to expand digital support for senior centers, increase public senior care facilities, and broaden the emergency safety and reassurance service that monitors seniors' daily lives.