Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju to Provide Monthly Housing Support of 500,000 Won for 100 Young Workers

First Nationwide Implementation of "Social Wage" Tied to Social Agreements
Support for Housing Rental Costs Including Monthly Rent and Rental Loan Interest

Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, Jeonnam, will provide housing support of up to 500,000 won per month per person for young workers employed at local small and medium-sized manufacturing companies. This support is conditional on companies and labor unions entering into and fulfilling social agreements aimed at improving wages, industrial safety, welfare, and other aspects.

Gwangsan-gu announced on the 18th that it will be recruiting companies to participate in the "Youth Worker Housing Support Program" until September 3. This project, funded by a social solidarity fund established by Gwangsan-gu and the local community, will subsidize rental housing costs for young workers, including monthly rent and interest on housing rental loans.

Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City Gwangsan-gu Government Office.

Eligible participants include small and medium-sized manufacturing companies with at least five employees located in Gwangsan-gu, as well as young workers aged 15 to 39 employed by these companies. Up to 10 individuals per company can receive support. Gwangsan-gu plans to support 100 young workers in the initial stage of the program.

Companies wishing to participate must prepare plans to improve working conditions based on four themes proposed by Gwangsan-gu: quality jobs, social integration, carbon neutrality, and revitalizing the local economy. Afterward, the labor community, companies, local government, and civil society will hold discussions, and the agreed practical improvements in areas such as wages, industrial safety, welfare, and corporate culture will be included in the social agreement.

Gwangsan-gu will support each young worker covered by the agreement with "social wage" payments of up to 500,000 won per month. The minimum support period is two years, extendable up to eight years depending on the fulfillment of the corporate agreement. Gwangsan-gu explained that this is the first employment program in Korea to link corporate social agreements with youth housing support.

This project is one of the "sustainable employment" pilot programs developed by Gwangsan-gu through community discussions over the past two years. Based on the results of the pilot, Gwangsan-gu will gradually expand the number of participants and program coverage.

Companies wishing to participate can visit TomorrowN Co., Ltd., Room 604 at the Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry, or apply by mail or email. Program briefings will be held at 3 p.m. on the 24th at the Pyeongdong Integrated Business Center and at 10 a.m. on the 26th at the Gwangsan-gu Regional Economic Vitality Center.

Gwangsan-gu Office Chief Park Byeongkyu stated, "This pilot project aims to create conditions for young people to stay in the region, and to improve job quality through cooperation between labor, management, and the community,” adding, "We will ensure that youth housing support leads to win-win labor relations and improvements in the workplace."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.