Vice ministers from ministries sitting on a pan-government youth employment panel run by the Ministry of Employment and Labor have not attended a single in-person meeting in the past six years, according to data released on the 16th. Critics say the interagency body is failing to function because of the ministries' passive participation, even as youth employment indicators worsen despite a sharp increase in government spending on programs for young adults.
Data on the Special Committee on Youth Employment Promotion covering 2021 through 2026, submitted by the labor ministry to Rep. Lee Yong-woo of the Democratic Party of Korea, a member of the National Assembly's Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee, showed the panel held eight plenary sessions over the six years. Three were held in person, but not once did all five vice ministers who serve as ex officio government members attend themselves.
The committee reviews and evaluates youth employment policy under the Special Act on the Promotion of Youth Employment. Chaired by the labor minister, it has 22 members, including vice ministers from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, along with representatives of employers' groups, academics, private-sector experts and young members.
The in-person meetings held in October 2021, January 2025 and February this year were all presided over by the labor minister, but the other ministries sent director-general-level officials instead of vice ministers. One ministry sent no representative at all in October 2021, and three ministries sent none in January 2025.
By contrast, all of the vice ministers were recorded as taking part in the five written sessions. All eight items put before the committee over the six years were approved as originally proposed. That has prompted criticism that a body meant for interagency coordination and debate has been run as a formality.
The attendance record stands in contrast to deteriorating youth employment figures. The government recently expanded planned spending on support for young adults next year to 43.3 trillion won ($31 billion) from 28.2 trillion won this year. According to the National Data Agency, the employment rate for those aged 15 to 29 stood at 44.1% in August, falling for the 28th consecutive month, while the unemployment rate was 5.4%, the highest for the month of August in four years.
One person involved in the committee said the attendance record showed "how much priority the ministries that are supposed to coordinate actual policy are giving it, even though successive governments have stressed youth policy."
"A committee set up to promote youth employment must not be reduced to a body that exists in name only," Lee said. "Each ministry needs to take part in the committee responsibly."
