By Soh Ji-young
Staff Reporter


The government on Tuesday announced a plan to create a total of 360,000 jobs for the elderly and the underprivileged for the next five years as part of efforts to strengthen the social safety net and enhance the welfare of the public.

A stock option-based employee stock ownership program will also be introduced to help provide incentives for workers and increase their own wealth.

These are some of the measures included in the government’s five-year plan on ``participatory welfare’’ approved yesterday in a Cabinet meeting presided over by President Roh Moo-hyun.

The new jobs will break down to 300,000 for people over the age of 65, another 30,000 for the disabled and 30,000 for the poor.

The elderly will be given jobs such as working as forest or culture tour guides while those of low-income classes will engage in nursing jobs for the sick and the disabled.

The government said that the plan is intended to strengthen the country’s social security net and provide improved welfare services to the public to ease the disparities between the wealth and poor.

According to the five-year blueprint, the number of volunteers engaged in welfare fields will be expanded to 1 million from the current 260,000 while tax exemptions will be increased for contributions given to charity groups and religious organizations.

A total of 1,767 childcare centers will be established across the country to promote greater economic activity for women and the government will increase its support of childcare expenses for the poor.

Childcare leave, which is set at 300,000 won per month from this year, will also be increased to take up 40 percent of average wages by 2008.

To give low-income classes more chances to enjoy culture activities, the government will also partly pay for various sports and leisure facilities such as amusement parks.

According to government statistics, a total of 3.21 million people in the country earn less than the average urban worker’s monthly pay of 1.7 million won.

To relieve the nation’s digital divide, high-speed Internet service will be set up in rural areas with more than 50 households by 2005, while 30 Internet centers will be built in urban poor areas every year.

The government will also step up protection for victims of sex trafficking by legislating an anti-sex trafficking law and strengthening legal and medical services available to victims.

The comprehensive plan was established by the Ministry of Health and Welfare together with Labor, Gender Equality, Culture and Tourism, Construction and Transportation and Information and Communication Ministry.

jysoh@koreatimes.co.kr