The government will directly hire at least 600-thousand people within this month, to assist seniors, those in the low-income bracket, the disabled and youth struggling to find jobs amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.
First Vice Finance Minister Lee Eog-weon announced during a policy inspection meeting on Friday its plans to hire by the month's end more than half of its target of one-point-06 million people it pledged to employ this year.
Additionally, ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday from January 31 to February 2, the government will start on Monday to supply 16 commodities in high seasonal demand to stabilize market prices.
The vice minister said the government plans to expand supplies to a record 204-thousand tons until January 28, one-point-three times higher than the usual volume. The products include napa cabbages, radishes, apples, pears, beef and pork.
The government will also inject 25 billion won during the holiday to provide discount coupons of 20 to 30 percent for agricultural and fisheries products.