The City Plays a Key Role as a 'Livelihood Safety Net'
Clear Impact on Employment for Middle-Aged Individuals and Women
Paju City in Gyeonggi Province hired a total of 542 people last year through its public work program. Participant satisfaction was found to be close to 99%.
The public work program is a job initiative designed to provide temporary employment opportunities to vulnerable groups, supporting their livelihoods and serving as a stepping stone to future employment. The city set a goal of hiring over 400 people from January to December last year, and a total of 542 participants worked in 459 job positions.
To assess the effectiveness of the program, the city conducted its own survey in December 2025 targeting 106 participants. According to the survey, 99.1% of respondents said they were satisfied with the public work program, and 98.1% expressed willingness to participate again in the future.
When asked which aspects of the program were most helpful, the largest proportion of respondents (42.3%) cited financial assistance. This was followed by improved work skills (24.8%) and enhanced social skills (24.8%).
In addition, when last year's participants were classified by age and gender, the data revealed particularly high participation rates among middle-aged individuals in their 40s and 50s (59.4%) and women (74.9%).
A Paju City official stated, "The public work program appears to have been especially helpful for middle-aged people struggling to find reemployment after job loss and for women, who tend to have lower employment rates. We will continue to improve the program by broadly reflecting the characteristics and needs of participants, so that we can achieve both income stability and stronger employment connections."
Meanwhile, 152 people are currently working in the first phase of the public work program, which is being held from January to April this year.
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