Hwacheon County Achieves Top Employment Rates Through Proactive Job Policies
All-Day Care Policy for Dual-Income Families Boosts Economic Participation of Residents
Hwacheon County in Gangwon Province received the Excellence Award in the Public Announcement Category at the 2025 National Local Government Job Awards Ceremony.
Hwacheon County is receiving the Excellence Award in the Public Announcement Category at the 2025 National Local Government Job Awards Ceremony. Provided by Hwacheon County
The county achieved this recognition at the awards ceremony held in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, on September 30, after being acknowledged for its achievements in job creation policies.
The National Local Government Job Awards are presented by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, which comprehensively evaluates the job creation policies and results of local governments nationwide to select outstanding local governments. This award is regarded as a key indicator of the effectiveness of local government employment policies.
As the most prestigious government award in the field of job creation, the selection process is rigorous. To be chosen as an outstanding local government, candidates must pass the first round of evaluation by the local employment and labor office, followed by a second round of evaluation by the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
Since the start of its eighth popularly elected administration, Hwacheon County has been continuously promoting employment stability and the creation of sustainable, Hwacheon-specific jobs.
To this end, the county has established and steadily implemented four main strategies and corresponding annual action plans: creating quality jobs, providing vocational skills development training, discovering customized jobs for vulnerable residents, and building job infrastructure and employment services.
As a result, in 2024, Hwacheon County achieved the highest rates in the province for overall employment rate (76%), economic activity participation rate (76.3%), and overall female employment rate (70.7%).
Additionally, compared to 2023, the youth employment rate reached 111%, the number of regular employees rose to 103%, and the total number of employed persons increased to 103%.
Meanwhile, the non-economically active population decreased by approximately 5% year-on-year to around 3,900, marking the lowest figure on record.
Notably, Hwacheon County became the first in the nation to operate an all-day care program, enabling women with children to confidently entrust childcare to local government facilities and participate in economic activities.
Through these efforts, Hwacheon County is recognized for actively addressing career interruptions and for finding effective solutions to overcome worsening challenges such as low birth rates and population decline.
Choi Moonsun, the governor of Hwacheon County, stated, "We will continue to pursue the discovery of quality jobs and resident-tailored employment policies, as well as provide support for vocational skills development."
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