The Labor Ministry held an emergency meeting Monday of employment security division chiefs for local governments to try to find ways to curb the rise of unemployment.
Ministry officials called on municipal-level workers to make doubly sure that steps to address unemployment -- which were included in November's economic stimulus package and involve wage subsidies and assistance for those working in the construction industry -- are fully implemented.
In an effort to focus on the likelihood that many young people will be without a job after they leave school, the ministry also urged meeting participants to devise ways to enlighten youth to the need to actively seek employment and to step up efforts to find more job openings.
In the afternoon, participants split into four groups, based on areas with similar unemployment patterns, to discuss in greater detail the possible steps that could be taken to correct the problem.
The day's gathering was aimed at having proposals brought forward from the local level in order to promote awareness of the issue by municipal governments. It was also to pool ideas for additional measures to increase employment, according to ministry officials.
In February, the unemployment rate rose to a record-high 4.6 percent, and the number of jobless topped the 3 million mark for the first time.