There are 3,000 accidents every year... Senior job security guard, 24% of standard value

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Seong Seong-ho = In a super-aging society, the number of participants in government senior job projects to help seniors enjoy productive retirement lives is increasing, but the number of people responsible for their safety appears to be only one-fourth of the required level.

According to data received from the Korea Senior Citizens' Human Resources Development Institute by Rep. So Byeong-hoon of the Democratic Party of Korea, a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, on the 19th, the number of newly hired senior job safety personnel deployed as of this year is 607.

The required number of safety personnel determined by the government in accordance with the enforcement regulations of related laws is 2,504, and the number of people hired this year was only 24.2% of the total.

The Senior Citizen Job Project was launched in 2004 with 25,000 jobs to help the elderly live an active and productive life through work and social activities. This year, the number of jobs increased to 1.152 million, the highest ever.

Dedicated safety personnel are personnel deployed to protect participants, including creating a safe environment for this project.

As there was a severe shortage of safety personnel, the number of elderly people who had to be managed by each dedicated person reached an average of 1,039 people nationwide. At the site, existing job managers are taking on safety work as a 'concurrent job.'

Safety accidents are continuing due to the lack of on-site management.

Safety accidents involving the elderly at work increased by 35.2% from 2,985 in 2021 to 4,036 in 2024.

Even in 2025, when the statistical standards were changed to exclude commuting accidents, 2,820 accidents occurred. The annual average between 2021 and 2025 was over 3,300.

Fractures accounted for about half of the damage caused by accidents each year.

From 2021 to August of this year, the number of elderly people who died at work sites reached 119.

The Senior Human Resources Development Institute estimates a budget of approximately 29 billion won (based on national funds) based on the 2027 budget to expand the insufficient number of dedicated personnel of 1,891, but specific plans for securing it, such as consultations with budget authorities, are unclear.

Rep. So Byeong-hoon said, "Safety accidents among the elderly are a serious problem that goes beyond simple injuries and is directly related to life." He emphasized, "The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Human Resources Development Institute for the Elderly must actively consult with related ministries to reflect the budget for expanding dedicated safety personnel in the 2027 budget and quickly complete the field-based safety management system."