South Korea to Train 200,000 Young Professionals in AI, Green Tech

South Korea is launching a comprehensive initiative to cultivate over 200,000 young professionals in critical sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and the green transition by 2030. The government also plans to bolster asset formation among youth through a dedicated personal asset management account (ISA) and prioritize their access to high-quality public rental housing in desirable, transit-accessible locations.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol announced the "Youth Policy Direction" at the National Fiscal Strategy Meeting. He emphasized the government's commitment to listening to the diverse voices of young people and developing policies that span their entire life cycle. The plan involves leveraging private companies, universities, and public sector training systems to nurture the targeted 200,000 specialists. Young individuals will gain practical experience by working on real-world projects proposed by companies and public institutions, with this experience intended to aid their future employment or entrepreneurial ventures.

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Young people's living conditions and the policies they desire from the government are very diverse. We will listen to various voices and prepare measures that cover their entire life cycle.

The government aims to create a total of 200,000 youth jobs, with 100,000 in the private sector (spanning new industries, science, culture, and finance) and 100,000 in the public sector. The "Everyone's Startup" project will be significantly expanded to foster over 100,000 young entrepreneurs. To combat housing instability, the government will offer new types of public rental housing, comparable in quality to private residences, in prime urban areas. Measures to increase available rental housing and reduce the burden of rent are also planned, acknowledging that over 80% of young households are renters facing high costs and difficulty finding suitable accommodation.

Financial support will be enhanced through the introduction of a youth-specific ISA next year and expanded loan programs like "Sunshine Loan" for high school graduates preparing for employment. The government also intends to address the "marriage penalty," where couples may lose eligibility for certain policy loans due to combined income exceeding thresholds. Temporary special measures for the income calculation criteria for newlywed housing loans are being considered to ensure marriage does not disadvantage young couples in accessing support. Furthermore, policies to support child-rearing will be strengthened, including expanded free early childhood education and more infant classes in public daycare centers. Deputy Prime Minister Koo stressed that youth policies are only complete when developed in collaboration with young people, who will be directly involved in key decision-making processes through online and offline platforms.

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Youth policies are only complete when developed in collaboration with young people. In the future, young people will directly participate in key decision-making and co-create policies through online and offline platforms.