The First Step Toward the 'Age 65 Retirement Era'... Ministry of the Interior and Safety Extends Retirement Age for Public Officials

Improvement of Work Environment Including Parental Leave
Collective Agreement Reflected for Public Employees in September

The topic of 'extending the retirement age to 65' in the aging society has begun at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The Ministry and its affiliated institutions have extended the retirement age of public service workers from 60 to a maximum of 65 years old.

According to the Ministry on the 21st, the "Regulations on the Operation of Public Service Workers under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety," which includes this content, have been in effect since the 14th. Public service workers are regular permanent contract employees directly hired by the institutions, and about 2,300 employees, such as those responsible for cleaning and facility management at government buildings nationwide, fall under this category.

According to the regulations, the retirement age of public service workers under the Ministry is extended up to 65 years old depending on the year of birth. Those born in 1964 retire at 63, those born between 1965 and 1968 retire at 64, and those born from 1969 onwards retire at 65. The retirement age can be extended through a separate review in the year the retirement age is reached. The Ministry explained that the phased extension was applied considering the timing of national pension receipt.

Improvements in treatment such as leave of absence have also been made. In cases requiring medical treatment such as infertility or sterility treatment, a leave of absence of up to one year is allowed, with the possibility of extension within one year. Public service workers who are pregnant or raising children under 8 years old can also apply for parental leave within 3 years. Previously, public service workers with children under 5 years old could take up to 2 hours of parental leave per day within 24 months.

Meanwhile, these regulations were revised last month reflecting the collective agreement signed with the affiliated public service workers.