Issue Job quality in Korea's expanding care workforce

Summary

The expansion of social welfare and long-term care services has greatly enlarged Korea's care labour market, which is centred on older women. KEIS projects care occupations to remain the fastest-growing source of jobs in the coming decade. Yet the report warns that the absence of career development and poor working conditions entrench low skills and low wages. These conditions also discourage new workers from entering the field, which threatens the supply needed to meet rising demand. It therefore calls for better job quality and training opportunities to raise job retention in care work.