Municipalisation of Care Service Providers in South Korea

22 Mar 2023 Seoul, South Korea 22 Mar - 22 Mar

Municipalisation of Care Service Providers in South Korea

  • 22 Mar - 22 Mar
  • Seoul, South Korea

17:00 - 18:30 KST

The launch of the Policy Brief “Municipalisation of Care Service Providers in South Korea” prepared by the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union (KPTU) will be held online on 22 March 5pm KST | 9am CEST | 8am GMT | 7pm AEDT.

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In South Korea, care has traditionally been within the domain of the family. However, over recent years, a growing market for care services has emerged, as is the case in other countries. Individuals and for-profit organisations handle some 90 per cent of all care services available on the market, but in 2019 local authorities began to establish publicly-owned and  managed Public Agencies for Social Services (PASS).

By June 2022, there were 14 such metropolitan and provincial level agencies across South Korea. In addition, the public care service system has been expanding and now includes, in addition to the 14 PASS, 37 comprehensive homecare centres (CHCCs), 90 national and public care facilities, and 67 public care service programmes. In all these organisations, local authorities directly employ care workers, offering them better wages and working conditions that, in turn, help improve the quality of the services they provide. Although the Korean public care service system still faces shortcomings and challenges, the country is effectively conducting an important experiment in enhancing public control over care services. Public service unions have played a critical role in bringing about this municipalisation. 

Draft Agenda

  • Opening remarks: Daria Cibrario, LRG Officer, PSI (10’)

  • Presentation: JaeHun Lee, Research Secretary, KPTU Public Policy Institute for People (KPTU PPIP) (20’)

  • Respondent introductions: Huma Haq, Social Care Officer, PSI (5’)

  • Respondent 1: Dae-hee Oh, Chair of KPTU-Seoul PASS Branch (10’)

  • Respondent 2: Jo Wagner, Professional Officer Aged Care (5’) and Megan Corlis, Director - Education, Research & Aged Care (5') (AMNF).

  • Q&A session with online participants (20’)

  • Closing remarks: SungHee Oh, KPTU, Director of International Relations (10’)

  • Next steps: Daria Cibrario, LRG Officer, PSI (5’)

This activity is part of the LRG Trade Union Strategies for Remunicipalisation/Insourcing Working Group.