According to government data, there are some 370,000 NEETs who stopped all job activities. There is another group of similar people called "Sheeoteum," meaning "taking a rest" in Korean, who take a break from job seeking. About 373,000 people aged between 15 and 29 belonged to the Sheeoteum group as of September 2023.
The main reason for the NEETs to give up on job seeking is the experience of continuous refusal by companies. People are extremely discouraged and feel broken before they eventually lose all will to get a job. About 4.5 percent of young people in their 20s and 30s living in Seoul are estimated to be disengaged people with no connection to society.
Vice labor minister Lee Sung-hee said during a forum in Cheongju some 115 kilometers (71 miles) south of Seoul on October 19 that now is the time to focus the society and government's attention on disengaged young people and stressed the need for administrative support for the NEETs.
According to the labor ministry, a total of 28.1 billion won ($20 million) was allocated to launch a support program in 2024. The program will provide tailor-made support for young generations by analyzing the demand of job seekers, the vice labor minister said.
