Creating Customized Jobs Linking Tourism and Middle-Aged Workers
On October 1, Jung-gu District in Seoul (District Mayor Kim Gilseong) announced that it had won the top grand prize in the Outstanding Project category at the ‘2025 National Local Government Job Awards’ organized by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, ranking first nationwide.
Jung-gu, home to Korea’s leading tourist attractions such as Myeong-dong, Namsan, Namdaemun, and Dongdaemun Market, and the district with the highest concentration of hotels and travel agencies in Seoul, received high praise for creating local jobs in cooperation with businesses. This approach simultaneously addressed labor shortages in the tourism industry and job-seeking challenges among middle-aged and older adults.
In response to the severe recruitment difficulties caused by a rapid recovery in tourism demand following the departure of skilled workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jung-gu proposed a solution called ‘tourism-specialized jobs close to home.’ The district identified roles directly needed by the industry and established a one-stop employment support system focused on field-based training and immediate job placement. As a result, in 2023 alone, 239 people completed training and 103 secured employment, delivering tangible outcomes.
The key to this success was a seamless cooperation network. Jung-gu expanded its practical cooperation model from the district to the metropolitan level, establishing a job governance council with 32 participating organizations, a hotel and tourism industry consortium, and participating in the ‘Seoul Regional Tourism Industry Support Council’ led by the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office.
The district is also actively developing and matching jobs tailored to local demand, including pedestrian safety assistants, positions in the food service industry, pharmacy and hospital accompaniment, and cleaning services. Since 2023, the number of people employed through the Job Plus Center has reached 1,512.
Kim Gilseong, Mayor of Jung-gu District, stated, “This award recognizes Jung-gu’s efforts to thoroughly identify local job needs and strengthen collaboration with various organizations and businesses. We will continue to create quality jobs so that any resident who wishes can enjoy long-term employment.”
The Ministry of Employment and Labor has hosted the Job Awards annually since 2012 to promote local governments’ job creation policies and raise awareness of local employment issues. This year, among 243 local governments nationwide, Jung-gu earned the top grand prize in the Outstanding Project category after passing the first round of city/province evaluations and the second round of central evaluations.
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