38.1% Say Employment Services 'Needed', but Only 4.9% Actually Use Them

According to the recent '2024 Survey on the Employment and Life of Developmentally Disabled Individuals' released by the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled, the employment rate of individuals with developmental disabilities aged 15 and above was found to be 27.1%, significantly lower than the average employment rate of all registered disabled individuals. Particularly in the Jeonbuk region, the employment rate was even lower at 24.3%, highlighting the fact that access to jobs for individuals with developmental disabilities is more challenging depending on the region.

This survey, which comprehensively analyzed not only the employment of individuals with developmental disabilities but also their daily lives, access to information, and service demands, is gaining attention as data that can evaluate the quality of life of disabled individuals beyond just the employment rate.

Among all individuals with developmental disabilities, only 4.9% had experience using employment services at least once, while 84.2% responded that they had not used any related services in the past three years. On the other hand, the percentage of those who stated a need for employment services was 38.1%, indicating a significant gap between demand and utilization rates.

In particular, Jeollabuk-do showed a lower percentage (13.6%) of individuals who had used employment services compared to the national average (15.8%). This was attributed to the high number of rural residents and a lack of transportation and on-site training infrastructure. Additionally, the rate of developmental disabled individuals in Jeonbuk who were unable to use smartphones was 46.2%, higher than the national average of 41.7%, indicating significant difficulties in accessing digital information.

Employment services that individuals with developmental disabilities stated they needed included job information provision (13.5%), job search and information provision (12.6%), job skills training (12.5%), social adaptation training (12.4%), and job placement (12.1%). However, most of these services are still evaluated as having a significant gap between supply and demand.

In a survey targeting guardians, 23.5% of respondents stated they were willing to use developmental disability training centers, indicating the need for expanding centers in various regions and enhancing substantive programs.

Experts point out that "the employment issues of individuals with developmental disabilities cannot be solved simply by creating jobs" and emphasize the need for integrated approaches such as resolving information disparities, supporting independent living, and improving local infrastructure.

Based on this survey, the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled is preparing various policy improvements, including ▲operating outreach employment services ▲providing decentralized services ▲strengthening digital literacy education ▲and parallel support for independent living housing and life training.

There is a growing call for tailored regional policy design and resource concentration in non-capital areas like Jeonbuk, where employment conditions are poor and information access is difficult. Experts emphasize the need to reduce the imbalance between the capital region and other areas and establish an integrated support system for individuals with developmental disabilities to be independent in various aspects of life.

This survey, conducted annually since 2020, reflects the characteristics and environment of individuals with developmental disabilities. The '2024 Survey on the Employment and Life of Developmentally Disabled Individuals' was conducted through face-to-face interviews using tablet PCs from June 17 to September 30, 2024, over approximately 3.5 months. The survey results will be used as evidence for designing employment and welfare policies for individuals with developmental disabilities and deriving comprehensive support measures.

For more detailed information related to the survey, it can be accessed on the website of the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled Employment Development Institute (https://edi.kead.or.kr).