(Street cleaners are now one of the most coveted job in South Korea among job seekers. (Image: Kobiz Media)
GUMI, SOUTH KOREA, March 9 (Korea Bizwire) — The Gumi City government saw more than two hundred people apply for a number of public area cleaning job openings after it began taking applicants.
Of the 239 candidates, nearly one hundred had a university degree or more while 131 were high school graduates. A mere 14 people were eligible to take a fitness test designed to evaluate the physical qualifications required to perform the functions of the job they were applying for.
The test consisted of two sports competitions, one of which was a 50-meter sprint, while the other saw how long candidates could stand while holding a heavy sandbag.
The bigger picture here is the recent rise in popularity of jobs in the public sector. As the country’s growth grinds to a halt, the sluggish job market in South Korea has been driving young job seeker’s attention to public service jobs for stability and better benefits.
The starting salary for the lucky 11 street cleaners who will be hired by the Gumi government is 40 million won ($34,482), well above the average salary for South Koreans in their 20s which is 27.6 million won ($23,793).
As the rise of global protectionism and the Chinese economic retaliation over THAAD give a glimpse into the bleak prospects facing the South Korean economy, competition among those seeking jobs in the public sector is expected to stiffen.
Hyunsu Yim (hyunsu@koreabizwire.com)
