▲ CEO Yom Daesu

Expanded life expectancy is encouraging senior members of society to set sail on a new career. It is estimated that around 7 million baby boomers have retired or soon to retire. They are looking for 30 to 40 years of life after retirement thanks to advanced medical technology and healthy food. Accordingly, the government is introducing various related policies and programs for them to carry on their career or find a new career. The problem is that the fruits are not that fruitful. The start of the Association for Senior’s Economic Activity Support came from this awareness. 

Yangpyeong County and Gwangju in Gyeonggi Province are the two most sought after retirement places in South Korea due to easy access to the capital and cleaner environment. ‘Isidol’, a local restaurant famous for croaker and crab, is the gathering point of the members of the association as well as influential people in our society. The restaurant owner Daesu Yom says:

“Retirees have rich knowledge and experience in each of their fields but all come to nothing because they have nowhere to use their lifetime skills after retirement. Sadly, many of them do just a simple work or hard labors.” 

For the last 20 years, Yom has engaged in various social activities and contributed to creating jobs for senior members of society. He ran a restaurant and studied herbal medicine in Daejeon and Gurye and moved to Gwangju 6 years ago when he knew many retirees prefer to live around the region. October last year, he led the establishment of the association with support of the seniors in the local. 

“I’m planning to introduce various programs such as one man startup, cooking, customer services and other practical areas of business for seniors to get a job and start a good second phase of life. It is important for them not to be bossy in order to communicate with younger members of society. It is also important that they make most of their talent in their new career.”

While the goals are set, Yom and the members of the association are determined to make it happen.