"As you may know well, we have great concerns nowadays over jobs for our young people. Especially, we expect greater difficulties as the number of those in their late 20s is expected to increase rapidly over the next three or four years," the president said in a ceremony marking the launch of a voluntary job creation campaign by South Korean businesses in 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Moon arrived here Thursday for a three-day state visit. He earlier held a bilateral summit with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang.
Under the program, some 200 South Korean businesses in ASEAN countries pledged to hire at least one new South Korean employee.
"On March 15, the government announced its youth employment measures. It will do its utmost to create new jobs by devising a supplementary budget. However, there is no magic wand when it comes to jobs for young people. We simply have to gather more by ones, tens or hundreds," Moon said.
The president welcomed the job creation program as a possible solution.
"Nearly 9,000 young people will have a new job if all South Korean businesses in ASEAN countries hire just one more person each. I believe this is the answer," he said. "Already, we have 200 new jobs. I ask you to spearhead the move so more businesses in ASEAN countries will take part in the program."
"The government, too, will actively support young people to work overseas. It will explore new overseas jobs and link them to South Korean youths, and also expand its K-Move program that provides support for education and training. It also plans to provide financial support to young people who move to developing countries for work," Moon told the meeting. By the Yonhap.
