The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 2nd that it held a "middle-aged small business health and livelihood safety net meeting" in the alley area of the emerging market in Haebangchon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. The meeting was held as part of the small business social safety net series meeting to discuss support measures after hearing the difficulties faced by small business owners at the site, such as the deterioration of the health of middle-aged and small business owners and the burden of closure.
At the meeting, middle-aged small business owners and health economy experts attended to discuss ways to improve policies. Hong Jeong-rim, an associate researcher at the Korea Labor Institute, who was in charge of the presentation, published several studies comparing and analyzing the health conditions of self-employed people with wage workers. He emphasized the need for policy support and institutional considerations to improve the health of self-employed people.
In the following free discussion, middle-aged and small business owners shared their experiences of having difficulty in living due to health problems. Participants proposed various policy tasks, such as expanding prevention-oriented health care support and easing the burden of school closures due to health checkups.
Lee Byung-kwon, the second vice minister of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, said, "The health management of middle-aged small business owners is an important task that is directly connected to the local economy and community sustainability," adding, "We will further strengthen the social safety net to prepare middle-aged small business owners for the future with confidence."
