"Expanding Disability Employment in Small Businesses Is a New Workforce Solution"... Gyeongbuk Council Research Group Holds Interim Report Meeting

The 'Private Sector Disability Employment Expansion Research Group,' a legislative research body of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Council led by Assemblywoman Park Sunha, held an interim report meeting for the 'Research on Expanding Disability Employment in Private Institutions in North Gyeongsang Province' on October 2.

This interim report meeting was organized to share key issues identified through literature and case reviews, corporate surveys, and on-site interviews conducted since the project began in July, and to review feasible alternatives.

Members of the 'Gyeongbuk Provincial Council Private Sector Disability Employment Expansion Research Group' and related staff are gathered in one place, shouting "Fighting."

Dr. Lee Jeongmi of the Gyeongbuk Research Institute, who is responsible for the research, pointed out that the current public-centered support does not sufficiently reach small and medium-sized workplaces. As an alternative, she proposed a field-customized support package that reflects the regional industrial structure and types of disabilities. Specifically, she suggested the following as core tasks: phased financial support for recruitment, adaptation, and retention; advanced job design and matching that considers the strengths of each disability type; continuous linkage among job centers, vocational rehabilitation institutions, and schools; and the institutionalization of assistive technology support and on-site consulting.

Additionally, the meeting discussed applying differentiated support models tailored to regional conditions, with specialized policy tools for industrial hubs and rural and fishing villages, as well as combining preferential public procurement and market access to foster standard workplaces.

Assemblywoman Park Sunha stated, "Although disability employment in the private sector is gaining attention as a new solution for regional workforce supply, there is still a lack of systematic job development and settlement support. I hope this research will present a practical support system that small businesses can truly feel and serve as an opportunity to establish policy directions for sustainable employment expansion."

The 'Private Sector Disability Employment Expansion Research Group' consists of six members, including Assemblywoman Park Sunha, Nam Jinbok, Lee Sunhee, Lim Byungha, Jeong Younggil, and Choi Taerim. The group plans to further verify detailed measures by industry, business size, and regional type, finalize the report within the year, and actively reflect the results in legislative activities such as preparing policy alternatives and enacting ordinances.