Oh Se-hoon: "Jobs Are the Best Welfare"... Pledges 100,000 New Positions

Mayor Oh Se-hoon Attends New Year's Meeting of the Seoul Federation of the Korean Senior Citizens Association
"Jobs Are the Best Welfare... We Will Take Responsibility for Seniors"
Expansion of Park Golf Courses and Strengthening Digital Support Systems

On January 20, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced that the city will invest 15.6 trillion won this year to take responsibility for the well-being of the elderly and other socially vulnerable groups. Mayor Oh emphasized, "Jobs are the best welfare," and pledged to create 100,000 jobs for seniors.

Mayor Oh attended the "New Year's Meeting of the Seoul Federation of the Korean Senior Citizens Association" held at Seoul City Hall that morning. He stated, "We will not simply increase the numbers, but will create jobs that allow the valuable experience of our seniors to become an asset to society, ensuring that these jobs are meaningful and dignified."

On the morning of the 20th, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon attended the "New Year's Meeting of the Seoul Federation of the Korean Senior Citizens Association" held at Seoul City Hall and announced plans to strengthen support measures for the elderly. Seoul City

This year, Seoul aims to create 101,866 jobs for seniors, an increase of about 7,000 compared to last year’s 95,201. The city is pursuing various administrative and financial support measures to create both public and private sector jobs.

Mayor Oh also mentioned plans to further expand leisure spaces for seniors. He said, "We will ensure that seniors can take care of their health and enjoy leisure activities close to home," adding, "We will expand sports facilities, including indoor park golf venues, and create leisure spaces in every neighborhood to bring more vitality to seniors’ daily lives." In response to the rapidly growing popularity of park golf, Seoul is working to establish 150 park golf courses across the city by 2040. For this year, the goal is to build 32 park golf courses and 61 screen park golf venues.

He also pledged to support the economic activities of seniors. Highlighting the digital environment, such as kiosks and smartphone banking, which can be difficult for seniors to access, Mayor Oh said, "We will break down digital barriers by establishing smart senior centers and digital companion plazas so that seniors are not left behind in the digital world." This year, the city plans to open 55 new smart senior centers and one additional digital companion plaza, both of which will support seniors in using smart devices.

Strengthening care and nursing systems was also promised, aiming to reduce the burden on families and provide peace of mind for seniors. Mayor Oh announced plans to expand "daycare centers" that care for seniors with dementia during the day and night, with discussions underway to add two more centers in each district. Within the city government, there are also considerations to convert daycare centers at risk of closure into facilities for elderly care.

Seoul plans to further expand welfare for seniors in response to the super-aged society. The core of Mayor Oh’s budget management plan for 2026, announced last year, is "accompanying the vulnerable." This year, the related budget alone amounts to 15.6 trillion won, with nearly half of the city’s 28 trillion won in actual policy project expenses being allocated to policies for the vulnerable. Mayor Oh stated, "Each and every senior’s life is the history that this city has accumulated and the most solid foundation for how far Seoul has come," adding, "Building a society that truly respects seniors is the most fundamental aspect of city governance."

The Seoul Federation of the Korean Senior Citizens Association works to enhance the rights, welfare, and social participation of the elderly in Seoul. It supports 25 district branches, about 20 senior colleges, and over 3,500 senior centers throughout the city.