Only 660,000 Out of 3 Million Certified Care Workers Are Employed
Average Age Reaches 62.6... Difficulty Securing New Workforce
Lee Gaeho, member of the Democratic Party of Korea.
Lee Gaeho, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea representing Damyang, Hampyeong, Yeonggwang, and Jangseong in South Jeolla Province, urged the government to take active measures to improve the treatment of care workers during the National Assembly audit of the Ministry of Health and Welfare on October 15, stating, "It is a reality that even after working for 10 years, care workers are unable to earn more than the minimum wage."
Lee pointed out, "Care workers are responsible for demanding caregiving tasks such as assisting the elderly with meals, changing diapers, and bathing, yet their compensation remains poor." He further criticized, "Due to the government's passive financial support, young workers are not entering the field, and only the current workforce is aging."
According to data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, as of May this year, there were 3,028,871 certified care workers, but only 695,990 (23%) were actively working. In particular, care workers under the age of 40 numbered just 38,389, accounting for only 5.5% of the total, and the average age reached 62.6, highlighting the severity of the aging workforce.
Lee stated, "The fact that the average age of care workers is well over 60 is due to extremely poor wages and working conditions." He emphasized, "The government must urgently implement a seniority-based pay system that guarantees at least a minimum recognition of experience." He also criticized, "It is irresponsible for the government to demand only a sense of duty without raising wages."
In response, Minister of Health and Welfare Jeong Eun-kyeong replied, "There are financial limitations to immediately implementing a full seniority-based pay system," and added, "We will consider expanding incentives for long-serving care workers."
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