[Edaily Reporter Lee Ji-hyun ] The government is pushing to train 100,000 young professionals in the care sector nationwide. This initiative aims to address the structural issue where the workforce providing care services is aging itself, even as demand for care surges as the country enters an era of super-aging. The government plans to cultivate young people into professionals skilled in advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics to improve the quality of care services and encourage them to settle in local communities.

According to an E-Daily report on the 14th, the government has designated this plan to train young care professionals as a key challenge in the “First National Population Strategy Master Plan” announced that day.

The goal is to resolve the care worker shortage while simultaneously addressing youth unemployment and the issue of regional depopulation. The government is considering offering a starting annual salary of approximately 40 million won to encourage young people to live in rural areas and plans to improve living conditions there as well.

The government’s decision to cultivate young care professionals stems from issues with the workforce structure in the care sector. While demand for care is rapidly increasing due to the growing elderly population, the aging of existing care workers—including certified nursing assistants—is also accelerating. Furthermore, with the introduction of new care technologies such as AI and robots, there is a growing need for professionals who can utilize and manage these technologies on the front lines.

The government’s vision is to develop young people not merely as care workers, but as professionals who bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and on-site care. These young professionals will initially be deployed in the management of “smart homes,” “smart facilities,” and “AgeTech” (technology for managing the health of the elderly and supporting their daily lives).

A “smart home” is a system in which AI monitors the daily lives of seniors living alone 24 hours a day and detects signs of distress. “Smart facilities” are initiatives that utilize cutting-edge technology—such as fall detection, pressure ulcer prevention, and care record management—to reduce the workload of care workers. Young professionals will be responsible for managing these systems and training existing care workers to utilize the new technologies.

They will also be deployed to community-integrated care settings. This involves visiting older adults in need of care in person to assist them with using digital devices such as smartphones and to address any difficulties they face in daily life. The plan is to utilize these young professionals as part of the process of expanding care services from a facility-centered model to one focused on the community and home-based care.

Ultimately, the goal is to address the shortage of care workers while reducing the workload of existing staff and improving service quality. The plan is to use AI and robots to alleviate the burden of repetitive care tasks and record-keeping, allowing care workers to focus more on providing direct personal care.

To this end, the government is also reviewing measures to establish appropriate wages and a stable employment system so that young people can choose caregiving as a long-term career.

A high-ranking official from the Population Strategy Committee emphasized, “It would cost 4 trillion won annually to provide a starting annual salary of 40 million won to 100,000 young people,” adding, “Investment is needed to simultaneously address youth unemployment, regional depopulation, and the shortage of care workers.”

The Population Strategy Committee expects that paying appropriate wages for these new professional roles will also help improve working conditions for existing care workers, such as certified nursing assistants. The aim is to transform the care sector—which has historically seen low youth participation due to low wages and poor working conditions—into a field offering professional expertise and career advancement opportunities.

Support for housing and transportation is also being considered to encourage young people to settle in rural areas. Plans are being discussed to establish a job security system comparable to that of quasi-public officials and to develop the field into a career path offering wage increases and promotions based on experience. The goal is to create stable jobs in regions facing a shortage of young people, thereby mitigating population outflow and maintaining local care services.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to link the youth care professional training program with pilot projects for smart homes and smart facilities. Following the training program and pilot projects, the goal is to begin full-scale field deployment starting in 2028.

An official from the Population Strategy Committee explained, “These are not yet finalized recruitment plans or wage standards,” but added, “We plan to finalize initiatives such as the training of young care professionals through consultations with relevant ministries and public discussion.”