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Isang Gil: "Measures for Support Needed"
According to the recent "Employment Status and Perception Survey of Workers Aged 60 and Over" conducted by the Daegu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Chairman Park Yoon-kyung), four out of five local companies employ workers aged 60 and above.
As a result of a survey conducted by Daegu Chamber of Commerce and Industry from the 4th to the 15th targeting 444 companies in the Daegu area, employment of workers aged 60 and over was found to be high regardless of sector, with manufacturing at 79.4% and non-manufacturing at 80.6%. In particular, within manufacturing, the textile (100%) and automobile parts (90%) industries significantly exceeded the average rate (79.7%).
The most common reason for employing workers aged 60 and over (multiple responses allowed) was "skilled techniques and abundant experience" (83.8%), while 41.3% responded that it was "because it is difficult to hire young and middle-aged workers," indicating challenges in recruiting new young talent.
By job type, employment was higher for field positions than for office positions, and among field jobs, the need for skilled workers was greater than for simple labor.
Additionally, one in four respondent companies reported that workers aged 60 and over accounted for "20% or more" of their workforce, and regular employment was the most common employment type at 46.8%, showing that the proportion and importance of workers aged 60 and above are increasing in the workplace.
A representative from textile manufacturer Company A in Daegu said, "The demand for workers aged 60 and over is increasing in production sites. They can pass on long years of experience and know-how, communicate more smoothly than foreign workers, and have strong company loyalty, so we actively encourage continued employment after age 60." He added, "Workers aged 60 and over are vulnerable to using the internet or mobile devices, so posting job announcements on flea markets or Kyocharo (local classifieds) incurs significant costs. Therefore, an offline specialized channel for silver workforce job postings and recruitment is needed."
A representative from corrugated cardboard manufacturer Company B said, "Workers aged 60 and over now exceed half of the total workforce. It is very difficult to find skilled technicians, and young people tend to avoid production sites, so maintaining existing personnel is the best option for now. In the mid to long term, automation of machinery and equipment is necessary, but due to the characteristics of small and medium-sized enterprises, the cost burden is high, so support from the government and local governments is needed."
In this survey, the most requested support measure to promote continued employment of workers aged 60 and over was to expand the current "Elderly Continued Employment Incentive," which provides 300,000 KRW per month for up to three years, with 48.4% of respondents supporting this. Additionally, 38.7% expressed the opinion that incentives such as tax credits for companies employing elderly workers should be increased.
Meanwhile, 58.5% of respondent companies reported a retirement age of 60, and 22.1% said they have no retirement age. Regarding the extension of the statutory retirement age, currently at 60, 76.5% responded that it is "necessary," and 76.2% indicated that the appropriate statutory retirement age should be 65.
Lee Sang-gil, Executive Vice Chairman of the Daegu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, "Given the regional characteristics with many small and medium-sized enterprises, stable manpower supply for field positions is very important. Since continued employment of workers aged 60 and over is being considered as a practical alternative for corporate workforce management, it is necessary to prepare multifaceted support measures for this."
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