[Sejong=E-Daily Reporter Cho Min-Jung ] The number of repeat recipients who received unemployment benefits three or more times over the past five years reached 113,000 last year. It was also found that 65,000 people received unemployment benefits by repeatedly resigning from and rejoining the same workplace.

According to data obtained on the 29th by the office of Rep. Kim So-hee of the People Power Party—a member of the National Assembly’s Climate, Energy, Environment, and Labor Committee—from the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the number of repeat recipients who received unemployment benefits three or more times within five years totaled 113,000 last year.

The number of repeat recipients—those who have received benefits three or more times—has been on the rise: 102,000 in 2022, 110,000 in 2023, 113,000 in 2024, and 113,000 last year. As of July this year, 77,000 people had already received unemployment benefits three or more times.

The total amount of unemployment benefits paid to these individuals reached 599.754 billion won last year. The average amount received per person was approximately 5.3 million won.

The number of people who received unemployment benefits five or more times has also steadily increased: 13,000 in 2022, 14,000 in 2023, 14,000 in 2024, and 15,000 last year. The total amount of unemployment benefits paid to repeat recipients (five or more times) was 61.086 billion won last year. The maximum number of claims per person was found to be seven.

Unemployment benefits are a public program designed to support the financial stability of workers enrolled in employment insurance while they seek re-employment after an involuntary job loss. To be eligible, a person must have accumulated at least 180 days of insured periods during the 18 months prior to the date of job loss; there is no limit on the number of times benefits can be received.

The number of people who repeatedly resigned from and rejoined the same workplace to receive unemployment benefits was 58,000 in 2022, 66,000 in 2023, 67,000 in 2024, and 65,000 last year, remaining in the 60,000 range annually.

Cases have also been uncovered where individuals who actually resigned voluntarily falsified documents or procedures to make it appear as though they had been involuntarily terminated—such as through contract expiration or recommended resignation—in order to fraudulently receive unemployment benefits. According to a Ministry of Employment and Labor investigation, from 2022 to 2025, 412 people received unemployment benefits through such formalized involuntary terminations, amounting to 3.1 billion won in fraudulent claims.

Types of fraudulent claims include falsely reporting employment duration or reasons for leaving a job to receive unemployment benefits, or failing to report that one has found employment while still receiving benefits. Mr. A was caught fraudulently receiving unemployment benefits while working—he had conspired with his employer to receive his monthly salary in cash.

There were also cases of organized fraud involving brokers. An investigation revealed that Mr. C, who operates five business locations in Daegu, mobilized four brokers over the past seven years to recruit fictitious workers and pocketed 540 million won in unemployment benefits.

Over the past five years, a total of four cases of unemployment benefit fraud involving brokers have been uncovered. The Ministry of Employment and Labor referred all of these cases to prosecutors with a recommendation for indictment.

Rep. Kim So-hee stated, “Simple administrative guidelines or monitoring alone cannot prevent the abuse of the system by the 110,000 people who repeatedly join and leave the workforce in short periods,” adding, “Fundamental institutional reforms are needed, such as raising the enrollment requirement from just 180 days to 12 months, in addition to the government’s proposed reduction plan.”