More than 200,000 contract-based workers in the public sector in South Korea will earn permanent status by 2020, the government said on Wednesday, in line with President Moon Jae-in’s campaign pledge to deliver more jobs and security to precarious workforce.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor on Wednesday held a task force meeting to discuss measures to convert non-regular workers into regular positions and announced results of a special study on contract workers in the public sector and year-by-year plan to put them on the permanent payroll.

Under the plan, 205,000 out of 316,000 contract-based workers engaged in continuing task at 853 public sector institutions including central and regional governments, public organizations, local public enterprises, and national education institutions will become permanent workers by 2020.

The ministry confirmed the number of non-regular workers eligible for regular positions by sorting estimated workforce that are expected to work for two years or longer and for at least 9 months each year.

Among targeted contract workers include 72,000 short-term workers and 103,000 agency and service-related workers. The government will also convert 30,000 additional non-regular workers into regular positions by extending the retirement age of those with cleaning and security duties - normally taken by well-aged people - to the age of 65.

This year, the government will turn 74,000 contract-based workers including 51,000 short-term employees and 23,000 agency and outsourced employees to regular positions. It plans to convert all short-term workers to permanent positions by the first half of next year and agency and outsourced workers by early 2020.

Temporary workers at privately-outsourced institutions and agencies invested by local governments will also be given regular positions. The government will first conduct a study and come up with a standard for 670 institutions invested by local governments and affiliates of regional public agencies by next year. It will also offer regular positions to workers at privately outsourced institutions after conducting its own survey and research.

The government plans to share its guideline with constitutional institutions such as National Assembly, Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, and the National Election Commission as part of support for them to also offer more permanent employment.

By Na Hyun-joon and Lee Eun-joo

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