The Korean government is actively working to enhance the effectiveness of its regular employment conversion support program, amid concerns about its potential lack of success. In 2024, the program resumes after a two-year hiatus, with eligibility expanded from priority-supported and medium-sized companies to those with fewer than 30 employees. Alongside this, policies such as the 10 a.m. parental start time and work hour reduction are being strengthened to support dual-income families and working parents. The government is also accelerating legal and institutional reforms to address structural disparities in the labor market and protect non-regular workers.
Under the regular employment conversion support program, companies that convert or directly hire contract, dispatched, or in-house subcontracted workers who have worked for more than six months can receive up to KRW 600,000 per employee per month for up to one year. For small and medium-sized businesses that allow parental work hour reduction, employers receive KRW 300,000 per reduced-hour worker monthly. To compensate for reduced wages, the maximum base salary for a 10-hour weekly reduction rises to KRW 2.5 million, and for other reductions, to KRW 1.6 million. Parental leave replacement support grants provide up to KRW 1.4 million per month for businesses with fewer than 30 employees, and up to KRW 1.3 million for larger businesses. Work-sharing support grants are also available, with monthly limits of KRW 600,000 for smaller businesses and KRW 400,000 for larger ones.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor has emphasized its commitment to narrowing the gap between regular and non-regular workers by strengthening the principle of equal pay for equal work and promoting subcontractor bargaining through revised labor union laws. Additional measures include the enactment of the Basic Rights Act for Workers, enhanced supervision of non-regular employment, discrimination prevention, and ongoing consulting for employment structure improvement. The government plans to closely monitor policy outcomes and refine systems to ensure resources reach those in need, highlighting labor market gap reduction and work-life balance as key policy directions for 2024.
Looking ahead, Korea\’s labor policies are expected to focus on expanding practical support for regular employment conversion and parental work hour reduction. These measures are anticipated to positively impact job security and quality of life for small business employees, non-regular workers, and working parents. Continued evaluation and refinement of these policies could contribute to resolving structural disparities and fostering social integration. The government\’s efforts to create a fair working environment for all are drawing significant attention.