Interior ministry names three job-hunting services for young Koreans

The interior ministry said Monday it has selected three public services aimed at helping young people prepare for work, as difficult youth employment conditions and a changing hiring market push the government to lower the cost of getting hired.

The services, chosen for the ministry's "Allyeodeurim, Innovative Service" program, are an online vocational training platform called STEP, a subsidy covering half of the fees for national technical qualification exams, and a service that consolidates education, certification and work records, the ministry said in a press release.

STEP, run by the online lifelong education center of Korea University of Technology and Education, offers free online vocational courses to anyone, including digital fields such as artificial intelligence and information technology. The online format suits young people balancing study or job hunting with training.

The exam-fee program covers half the cost for anyone aged 34 or younger sitting national technical qualification tests administered by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea. It applies to 491 exam categories as of 2026, including certificates for information processing engineers, electrical engineers and Korean cuisine cooks, and each person can receive the subsidy up to three times a year. The discount is applied automatically at the payment stage when applicants register on the Q-Net site, though support may end for the year if the budget is exhausted.

The third service, the Job Competency Bank, is also run by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea. It gathers scattered records of training, qualifications and work experience in one place and issues a job competency certificate, which the ministry said can be used for employment, self-development and personnel management. Applicants can check their records on the service's website and obtain the certificate through the employment portal Work24.

"I hope young people will build the capabilities they need for a changing hiring environment, ease the burden they carry while preparing for work and pass through the gate of employment," said Noh Hong-seok, head of the ministry's participatory innovation organization office.

"We will strengthen communication linking policy and the public so that people can use the public services they need without missing them," he added.