South Korea to expand employment insurance by 2025

It aims to protect gig workers not directly employed by companies.

South Korea is planning to expand its employment insurance to all working citizens by 2025, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Around 21 million people are expected to be covered by the state employment insurance scheme by 2025, compared to the current figure of less than 14 million. It will not include soldiers, public servants and faculty at private schools who are covered by separate insurance programs.

The expansion plans to protect temporary workers and freelancers as they are not directly employed and are not covered by employment insurance.

By job, it would bring in artists and people who are hired under special contracts such as delivery workers, insurance agents and caregivers into the national insurance system, making them eligible to receive jobless benefits should they lose their jobs.

It would also allow them to apply for government subsidies for pre- and post-maternity leave as well as parental leave.
Here’s more from Yonhap.