SUWON — The Gyeonggi Provincial Job Foundation said on the 21st that it had selected 70 newly certified companies under its 2026 Gyeonggi Province Model Employer Certification program.
The list comprises 50 companies certified as model employers and 20 certified as good places for young adults to work. The program evaluates job creation and employment stability at small and medium-sized enterprises in the province, identifying and supporting those with strong records.
Gyeonggi Province introduced the model employer certification in 2009, the first such program in the country. Since then, it has screened applicants on criteria including workforce size, employee retention rates, benefits and working conditions to encourage the spread of quality jobs.
The category for companies that are good places for young adults to work was expanded this year. Previously, only firms already certified as model employers could apply, but the program was opened to all small and medium-sized enterprises in the province starting this year. The number of companies selected also rose to 20 from 10.
The foundation said the change would allow it to identify a broader range of companies actively hiring young adults and strengthen the basis for young people to build stable careers at local firms.
Certified companies have also delivered on employment. A review of workforce data across the five most recent survey rounds, from the first half of 2024 through the first half of 2026, found that headcount had risen from the time of certification in every round.
The simple average employment growth rate across the rounds was 4.48%. Companies that renewed their certification posted employment growth of 5.19% from the time of certification.
The foundation monitors employment conditions at certified companies on a continuing basis through renewal screenings and workforce surveys. Companies that fail to meet certification requirements, such as those that cut jobs, face warnings or revocation of their certification.
Newly certified companies receive a certificate and a plaque. They also become eligible to apply for the province's workplace improvement program the following year.
"The model employer certification is meaningful in identifying companies that have worked hard on job creation and employment stability, and in spreading those results to the wider community," said Yoon Duk-ryong, chief executive of the Gyeonggi Provincial Job Foundation. "We will link the certification program with corporate support to help companies grow and to secure stable jobs for provincial residents."