Woojin recognized for job creation, improved working conditions

Woojin Industrial Systems, a Korean manufacturer of railway vehicles and electric buses, said Friday it has been selected for this year’s Ministry of Employment and Labor recognition program honoring companies for creating jobs and improving working conditions.

The annual program recognizes 100 private companies and provides administrative and financial incentives to encourage hiring and improve workplace practices.

Woojin said investment outside the Seoul metropolitan area helped drive its employment growth. It completed a 47 billion won ($35 million) electric bus factory in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, supporting efforts to recruit about 100 local workers.

The proportion of the company’s workforce covered by employment insurance rose to 673 at the end of 2025 from 578 in 2024. Woojin attributed the growth to investment and recruitment partnerships with local universities and vocational high schools.

Of its 140 new hires in 2025, 64 were aged 15 to 34. The company said expanded recruitment of women and support for maternity protection measures helped reduce its female employee turnover rate from 18 percent to 5.3 percent over the past three years.

Woojin also said it uses anonymized applications and artificial intelligence analysis based on job descriptions to screen candidates. All 57 recruits evaluated during their probationary periods in 2025 were appointed to regular positions.

For older employees, the company rehired all four workers who reached retirement age in 2024 under new contracts following job suitability assessments, without a break in employment.

Its wage adjustment system for senior workers links reductions to performance rather than imposing a uniform 30 percent cut. Employees receiving an A rating face no reduction, while those rated B face annual cuts capped at 2 percent, with cumulative reductions limited to 10 percent over five years.

Employee benefits include up to 800,000 won annually for professional qualifications, free dormitory accommodation, commuter buses and lunches. Workers can take leave in two- or four-hour increments, and one hour of every two hours spent studying languages counts toward scheduled working time.

“This recognition reflects the efforts of all our employees to foster mutual respect and pursue sustainable growth,” Woojin Industrial Systems Managing Director Lee Heung-pyo said.

“We will continue to advance technological innovation in green mobility while doing our utmost to build an inclusive workplace where younger and older employees can grow together and feel supported.”