ID :
68029
Sat, 06/27/2009 - 18:53
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/68029
The shortlink copeid
(EDITORIAL from the JoongAng Daily on June 27) - The complacent unemployed
The NEET group of young people has grown to 1.13 million. NEET is an acronym for
the government classification "Not currently engaged in Employment, Education or
Training."
Korea's group of NEET youngsters is more than three times larger than official
statistics of 328,000 jobless youth.
According to a report of the Federation of Korean Industries, Korean NEETs are
defined as 15- to 29-year-old youngsters who have been jobless for a long time
but are not actively seeking employment.
Official unemployment statistics refer to those who are seeking jobs but have
failed to find them. Although the unemployed want to find jobs, NEETs do not even
consider employment a possibility.
Therefore, they have become a more serious problem for not only households but
also society and the economy.
As of May, Korea's youth unemployment rate was 7.6 percent, lower than the
average 9 percent for Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
member nations. Yet, the youth employment rate was 40 percent, far lower than the
OECD average of 54 percent.
The difference between youth unemployment and employment rates indicates that
Korea has a large number of NEETs who are neither seeking jobs nor labeled as
unemployed in official statistics.
It is time for the government to pay attention to NEETs when creating employment
policies, rather than basing programs on the official youth unemployment rate.
Whether NEET youngsters have given up on seeking jobs voluntarily or not, a
society with a large number of jobless youth can never be healthy.
The Federation of Korean Industries said NEETs have become so numerous in Korea
because of the wide disparity between regular and non-regular workers.
Because non-regular workers receive low wages and their job stability is
uncertain, more and more youngsters believe that it is better to be jobless and
stay home than take jobs that don't offer regular employment status.
In order to resolve the problem, the excessive protections for regular workers
should be eased and the labor market's flexibility should be increased.
Non-regular workers should no longer face discrimination or be viewed as having
less career potential.
Youngsters should also change their ways of thinking. Instead of wasting valuable
time with unreasonably high hopes, they should face reality, lower their
expectations and keep looking for work.
(END)
the government classification "Not currently engaged in Employment, Education or
Training."
Korea's group of NEET youngsters is more than three times larger than official
statistics of 328,000 jobless youth.
According to a report of the Federation of Korean Industries, Korean NEETs are
defined as 15- to 29-year-old youngsters who have been jobless for a long time
but are not actively seeking employment.
Official unemployment statistics refer to those who are seeking jobs but have
failed to find them. Although the unemployed want to find jobs, NEETs do not even
consider employment a possibility.
Therefore, they have become a more serious problem for not only households but
also society and the economy.
As of May, Korea's youth unemployment rate was 7.6 percent, lower than the
average 9 percent for Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
member nations. Yet, the youth employment rate was 40 percent, far lower than the
OECD average of 54 percent.
The difference between youth unemployment and employment rates indicates that
Korea has a large number of NEETs who are neither seeking jobs nor labeled as
unemployed in official statistics.
It is time for the government to pay attention to NEETs when creating employment
policies, rather than basing programs on the official youth unemployment rate.
Whether NEET youngsters have given up on seeking jobs voluntarily or not, a
society with a large number of jobless youth can never be healthy.
The Federation of Korean Industries said NEETs have become so numerous in Korea
because of the wide disparity between regular and non-regular workers.
Because non-regular workers receive low wages and their job stability is
uncertain, more and more youngsters believe that it is better to be jobless and
stay home than take jobs that don't offer regular employment status.
In order to resolve the problem, the excessive protections for regular workers
should be eased and the labor market's flexibility should be increased.
Non-regular workers should no longer face discrimination or be viewed as having
less career potential.
Youngsters should also change their ways of thinking. Instead of wasting valuable
time with unreasonably high hopes, they should face reality, lower their
expectations and keep looking for work.
(END)
