Provincial Council Urges Action in Policy Inquiry
Youth Employment Policies Fail to Deliver Results
Gyeongbuk Provincial Council member Lim Kijin (Democratic Party of Korea, Proportional Representation) raised questions regarding Gyeongbuk Province's youth employment policies, agricultural safety guarantees, operation of the Gyeongbuk Forest Academy, improvement measures for provincial civil complaint services, and the mental health and school safety measures for teachers under the Gyeongbuk Office of Education during the temporary session held on the 11th.
Democratic Party member Lim Kijin pointed out that although the national employment rate has increased, the number of "resting youth" has also risen. He criticized, "Gyeongbuk Province's youth employment policies are being promoted in a uniform manner without considering regional characteristics, resulting in unsatisfactory outcomes."
In particular, he strongly criticized, "Youth employment policies focused on startups, which fail to reflect the unique characteristics of rural areas, have not created quality jobs in rural regions and have instead driven young people away from these communities." He urged the provincial government to develop and implement youth employment policies tailored to the specific characteristics of each region, including rural areas.
Lim Kijin also pointed out that although Gyeongbuk has the highest rate of agricultural machinery accidents in the country, the province has been very passive in establishing a safety guarantee system for farmers. He called for proactive measures to address this issue.
He stated that out of 1,384 agricultural machinery accidents nationwide in 2022, 703 occurred in Gyeongbuk, accounting for 51% of the total. The province also recorded the highest rates of fatalities (43%) and injuries (65%) in the country. Despite this situation, support for farmers' safety in Gyeongbuk is severely lacking. For example, the self-pay ratio for comprehensive agricultural machinery insurance, which covers physical and property damages from such accidents, is the highest in the nation at 30%, while the provincial subsidy rate (6%) and enrollment rate (7.5%) are the lowest.
He emphasized, "It is necessary to provide practical support measures, such as increasing the insurance enrollment rate, which is directly linked to farmers' lives, and gradually lowering the self-pay ratio," urging Gyeongbuk Province to respond actively.
Lim Kijin also pointed out that although Gyeongbuk accounts for 21.2% of the nation's forest area and has the potential to play a central role in Korea's forestry industry, the decreasing forestry population and low household income make it difficult to create a sustainable forestry environment.
Currently, the average forestry household income in Gyeongbuk is 35 million KRW, which is below the national average, and efforts to revitalize the return-to-forest movement are insufficient. He expressed regret about this and insisted that for the Gyeongbuk Forest Academy, which has been operated by the province since 2023, to play a central role in fostering forestry talent, it must go beyond being a simple educational institution. He called for expanded financial support for stable operation, the establishment of an independent Gyeongbuk Forest Academy rather than the current consignment operation, and the introduction of practical support measures such as settlement grants and startup subsidies for graduates to encourage the return-to-forest movement.
According to data from the National Health Insurance Service cited by Lim Kijin, the number of elementary school staff receiving treatment for depression nearly doubled from 4,819 in 2020 to 9,468 in 2023, and anxiety disorders increased by more than 60%. However, the review process for sick leave and reinstatement for teachers is being conducted only as a formality, and the system for early detection and response to abnormal behavior is inadequate.
He also emphasized the issue of safety management within schools, including after-school care classes, arguing that it is necessary to strengthen care and safety personnel, expand CCTV installation, and establish regular psychological counseling programs and mental health support systems for teachers.
Lim Kijin strongly urged the Gyeongbuk Office of Education to prepare and actively implement practical measures, stating, "Teachers must be healthy for students to be safe." He also requested a written response regarding improvement measures for civil complaint services, as Gyeongbuk Province received a low rating in the comprehensive evaluation of civil complaint services conducted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, and asked the province to do its best to improve civil complaint satisfaction.
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