President Moon Jae-in has vowed to lay the foundation for an era of "universal employment insurance" aimed at benefiting everyone employed.
 
The president made the remarks on Sunday during a special speech to mark the third anniversary of his inauguration.
 
In the televised speech, Moon said that the COVID-19 pandemic is requiring the country to establish an enhanced employment safety net.
 
The president pledged to quickly bring employment insurance to low-wage, temporary workers, freelancers and those who are presently not covered. He vowed to gradually expand the eligibility for the insurance to cover all of the self-employed through a social agreement.
 
In addition, Moon said the government will swiftly implement the employment support program that will provide job training and other customized employment support to low-income households, young adults and self-employed businesses.
 
Stressing the importance of the need to expand the employment safety net, the president is calling for the cooperation and support of the National Assembly in efforts to revise related laws and regulations.