Labor ministry opens contest for employment-support best practices

The labor ministry said Wednesday it opened a 2026 contest with the Korea Employment and Labor Education Institute to identify exemplary cases from the National Employment Support Program and spread counseling and cooperation models nationwide.

The ministry said the contest will help improve the program's effectiveness and the quality of field-based employment services. The program combines job-search assistance with support for living stability for low-income job seekers, young people and other vulnerable groups not covered by employment insurance. Since its introduction in 2021, it had provided in-depth counseling and tailored employment-support services to about 1.63 million people through the end of 2025.

Entries will be accepted in four categories: individual vocational counseling, individual case-management coaching, group models for supporting young and middle-aged job seekers, and group partnership and cooperation projects.

Employees of private-sector institutions commissioned to operate the program, employment-center officials and workers at partnership and cooperation organizations may apply online through the institute's website through Sept. 16.

Results will be announced Oct. 30, with winners awarded in each category and a casebook and e-learning content created from the cases for employment-service sites nationwide.

"We hope to share vivid achievements from the field with the public and see the outstanding cases discovered spread widely across the program," Lee Jong-seon, head of the institute, said.