The Ministry of Employment and Labor said Tuesday it had finalized three joint project plans under its “Wide-Area Link Project” after a public call and review process. The approved regions are Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang; Daegu-North Gyeongsang; and Daejeon-Sejong-North Chungcheong-South Chungcheong.
The program is designed to help metropolitan and provincial governments share resources and close policy gaps created by administrative and geographic boundaries. A central goal is to provide multi-year support — over four years — for job initiatives tied to each region’s strategic industries, in an effort to curb population outflows and encourage people to move in from the Seoul metropolitan area and elsewhere.
To strengthen implementation, the ministry said it has operated “mega-regional project preparation teams” since October last year, involving local labor offices, local governments and regional human resources development councils. After workshops and intensive consulting by selection reviewers, the ministry said it confirmed each region’s project content and scale.
The approved plans focus on creating conditions that help skilled workers stay in the region by building on key local industries.
Busan-Ulsan-South Gyeongsang will receive 10 billion won. The region will pursue what it described as a “mega-regional living zone” linking commuting and employment to create quality jobs in shipbuilding, automobiles and machinery parts.
Daegu-North Gyeongsang will receive 8 billion won to foster a “future mobility jobs-and-living ecosystem,” including joint research and development among companies across the supply chain and efforts to strengthen workforce capabilities. The Chungcheong region will receive 3.2 billion won to build a “mega-regional career-link ecosystem” aimed at a virtuous cycle of attracting, settling and developing talent in growth industries such as bio and mobility.
Across the regions, the ministry said support measures will include help with asset-building and living expenses to improve settlement conditions, assistance for long-term employment and re-employment, and packages such as company visits and on-site training.
To boost momentum, the ministry said it will form project task forces led by director-level local government officials, with regional labor office chiefs serving as secretaries, to strengthen public-private cooperation. It also plans to hold a series of “regional implementation pledge events” starting in July to support the project’s rollout.
Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon said the project would be “a springboard for creating quality jobs by bringing together regional resources beyond administrative and geographic limits.” He said the central government and mega-regional local governments would work closely to build “a vibrant regional jobs ecosystem where young people choose to stay.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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