A government-wide task force will be set up to tackle youth unemployment, which President Moon Jae-in has called a "near national disaster."

The Presidential Committee on Jobs said Tuesday that it will launch the task force within this week comprising employees of the finance and labor ministries and other agencies.

The task force will remove barriers between different ministries in seeking solutions on youth employment. It will also discuss the role public agencies should play in the creation of private sector jobs.

To this aim, a meeting will be held next week bringing together officials in charge of job creation at provincial governments nationwide. The meeting aims to establish an organic cooperative system among central and local authorities.

The Presidential Committee on Jobs will also gather opinions from experts, public officials and youth representatives in an effort to craft job policies that better reflect the needs of Korean youths.