Busan is good

“Supporting a New Challenge in the Second Chapter of Life” — Busan Metropolitan City Launches Certification Exam Fee Support for the Sandwich Generation Starting Today (July 13)

내용

Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Chun Jae-soo, announced that it will officially launch the Certification Examination Fee Support Program for the Sandwich Generation starting today (July 13). The initiative is designed for middle-aged residents aged 40 to 54, who play a key role in the regional economy but have received relatively less policy support than younger and older generations.

The program is a tailored employment policy aimed at strengthening the job-seeking capabilities of people in their 40s and 50s, many of whom face uncertainty about life after retirement, while supporting successful reemployment and injecting new vitality into the local economy.

Eligible applicants are unemployed residents or individuals without a registered business whose registered address is in Busan Metropolitan City as of the application date and who are between the ages of 40 and 54 (born between January 1, 1972, and December 31, 1986). Approximately 1,000 people are expected to receive support this year.

The program covers 90 percent of the examination fee for eligible national certification exams taken during the current year, excluding the applicant’s 10 percent copayment. Reimbursements will be paid in cash, up to a maximum of KRW 100,000 per person annually. Applicants may submit multiple claims throughout the year regardless of the number of examinations taken, provided the total reimbursement remains within the annual limit.

Eligible examinations include national technical and professional qualification examinations administered through Q-Net by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (excluding driver's license examinations), nationally accredited private qualification examinations registered with the Private Qualification Information Service (pqi.or.kr), and language proficiency examinations such as TOEIC, HSK, and JLPT.

Applications may be submitted online or offline beginning today (July 13) by providing the required supporting documents demonstrating eligibility. As the program operates with a limited budget of KRW 100 million, applications may close early once the available funding has been exhausted.

Detailed information on eligibility requirements and application procedures is available from today (July 13) through notices posted on the websites of Busan Metropolitan City and the Busan Economic Promotion Agency, as well as on the Busan Job Information Network at https://busanjob.net. Inquiries may be directed to the East Busan Comprehensive Employment Support Center of the Busan Economic Promotion Agency at +82-51-669-0614.

The sandwich generation in Busan Metropolitan City accounts for approximately 28.8 percent of the city's population, or 947,739 people. Although this group serves as a driving force of the regional economy, it has long been pointed out that it receives less policy support and budget allocation than younger and older generations.

In response, Busan Metropolitan City has introduced this new certification examination fee support program to strengthen the employment competitiveness of middle-aged residents in accordance with the Busan Metropolitan City Ordinance on Support for the Sandwich Generation—the first of its kind in Korea—and the First Comprehensive Plan for Supporting the Sandwich Generation in Busan Metropolitan City (2025–2028).

Kim Ki-hwan, Assistant Mayor of Digital Economy Office, said, “We hope this program will meaningfully reduce the financial burden on middle-aged residents preparing for reemployment or seeking opportunities in new fields, while boosting their confidence in pursuing new careers. Busan Metropolitan City will continue to develop practical and customized policies that provide strong support for the sandwich generation, the driving force behind our city's economic activity.”