Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 2014, publiée 104ème session CIT (2015)

Convention (n° 88) sur le service de l'emploi, 1948 - République de Corée (Ratification: 2001)

Articles 1 and 3 of the Convention. Contribution of the employment service to employment promotion. In reply to the previous direct request, the Government reports, in September 2014, that it has focused on expanding public employment service (PES) centres and strengthening links between the centres. The Committee notes that 83 PES centres were in operation in April 2014 and that an employment–welfare centre providing both employment and welfare services opened in January 2014, which is expected to facilitate jobseekers’ entry into the labour market and the self-reliance of the low-income group through work. The Government indicates that the number of people obtaining employment via PES centres increased from 670,000 in 2009 to 853,000 in 2013, resulting from the expansion of the employment centres. The Committee notes the observations of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), included in the Government’s report, indicating that reduced support to the workforce of the PES centres and the lack of connection between the central and regional centres has resulted in only parts of disadvantaged groups enjoying practical benefits of employment. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing information on the contribution of the expansion of the employment service to employment promotion. The Committee also invites the Government to provide information on measures taken to address the specific employment service needs for disadvantaged groups of the unemployed.

Articles 4 and 5. Participation of social partners. The Government indicates that the Employment Policy Council has convened meetings on 39 occasions as of June 2014 and it has deliberated on major employment policies, including policies on the expansion of the employment welfare centres. The FKTU raised a concern that the Council, with the assistance of subcommittees and expert committees, should guarantee the effectiveness of discussions on major policies. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing information on the activities of the Employment Policy Council in the organization and operation of the employment service and in the development of employment service policy. The Committee also invites the Government to include information on any measures taken to improve the effectiveness of the Council’s discussions on matters covered by the Convention.

Article 9. Staff of the employment service. The Government indicates that, in an effort to improve the efficiency of PES centres, 1,446 private job counsellors working at PES centres have been converted into public officials as of May 2014. The Government adds that the private job counsellors are open-ended contract employees assured of stable employment with guaranteed retirement at the age of 60 and their wage levels and working conditions are the same as those of public officials. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing information on the status and working conditions of job counsellors at PES centres.

Article 11. Cooperation with private employment agencies. The Government reports that a part of job placement work for vulnerable groups of jobseekers, including women with career breaks, has been entrusted to private employment agencies. In-depth employment services, such as group counselling, are also being provided by private employment agencies. The Committee notes that nine employment service programmes for vulnerable groups were implemented through private employment agencies as of December 2013. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the impact of the measures to secure effective cooperation between the public employment service and private employment agencies, as well as on the results of the employment service programmes implemented through private employment agencies.