South Korea elderly job waiting lists surge to 197,000

The number of people on waiting lists for elderly employment programs in South Korea has surged, reaching 197,254 as of August this year. This represents a 39.3% increase compared to the previous year.

Gyeonggi Province accounts for the largest portion of the backlog, with 47,586 applicants on waiting lists, representing approximately 24% of the national total. Other regions with significant waiting lists include Seoul, Busan, Daegu, and Gyeongnam.

By program type, the ‘Senior Competency Utilization Project’ has the highest demand, with 99,770 people waiting. Representative So Byeong-hun noted that while the government has expanded the number of jobs, the selection process has not kept pace with the growing number of applicants. He emphasized the need to review how jobs are allocated to ensure they reflect actual regional and type-specific demands.