Labor ministry launches Daegu-Gyeongbuk future mobility jobs project

The labor ministry on Thursday launched a regional employment project with Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province that pools 10.1 billion won ($7.53 million) this year to link future mobility companies with training, hiring and settlement support across the two regions' shared border.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor, Daegu Metropolitan City and North Gyeongsang Province held the launch ceremony at the Stanford Hotel in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. The "wide-area regional employment project" is designed to connect industry and workers across provincial boundaries.

Daegu-Gyeongbuk is one of three regions running the program this year, alongside Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam and the Chungcheong area. The budget consists of 8.1 billion won ($6.04 million) from the national government and 2 billion won ($1.49 million) from local coffers.

The support measures cover training and hiring of young research and development workers, employment services and skills upgrading for mid-career employees, housing and transport subsidies for cross-border commuters, workplace improvements at companies, a cross-regional job fair and cooperation network, and joint research and development between prime contractors, subcontractors and partner firms. Through the measures, the ministry said young people will get wider chances to build expertise and find work at regional growth companies, while mid-career workers gain skills training and help redesigning their careers.

"Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province have long shared their industry and daily life, and bringing their respective strengths together can create greater growth and job opportunities," said Lim Young-mi, head of the ministry's employment policy office. "I hope this project will support both corporate technological innovation and the growth of talent, and that the development of the future mobility industry will lead to good jobs in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province."

The ceremony was attended by Lim, North Gyeongsang Province Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs Yang Geum-hee, provincial assembly vice speaker Lee Chun-woo, Daegu Metropolitan City Economic Affairs Bureau Director Park Ki-hwan, and Park Jong-pil, chair of the Daegu city council's economy and environment committee, along with representatives of companies and employment-related organizations in the two regions.