Moon urges early implementation of extra budget to create more jobs
South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday instructed the government to quickly implement its extra budget to create more jobs and called for efforts to smoothly implement the cut in working hours.
“The working hour reduction that goes into effect as of July 1 will bring significant changes to our society. It will be a chance for our workers, who have been working over 300 hours more than the average working hours of OECD countries, to escape from overwork and start enjoying a full life by spending more time with their families,” the president said in a cabinet meeting held at his office Cheong Wa Dae, Yonhap reported.
The president insisted the new 52-hour-per-week limit on working hours will also create new opportunities for employers.
“To businesses, it will be a new turning point to improve their productivity through creativity and innovation,” he told the meeting.
Moon also stressed the need to quickly execute the 3.9 trillion won ($3.6 billion) extra budget to create more jobs, especially for the young.
“Because it has already been somewhat delayed, it will be more important than others to launch extra budget-funded projects with speed so the young people and those in areas facing an employment crisis may actually feel a change,” he said.
He also called for stepped up efforts to inform the people of new job projects.
“I ask for your special efforts to inform the people of the extra budget projects so those who are eligible for benefits will not be left out simply because they did not know,” the president said.