Yonsei University Educational Foundation named outstanding institution for promoting employment of people with disabilities

Yonsei University Educational Foundation has been recognized as an outstanding institution for its exemplary efforts to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

The foundation received the top prize, the Minister of Employment and Labor Award, at the second Disability Employment Consulting Achievement Sharing Conference organized by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Korea Employment Agency for Persons with Disabilities (KEAD) with Disabilities on Wednesday.

The conference honors institutions that have achieved tangible results in employing people with disabilities or made significant contributions to establishing a sustainable foundation for disability-inclusive employment through consulting programs.

Yonsei University Educational Foundation  was recognized primarily for its achievements led by Yonsei University Health System (YUHS), which actively collaborated with the KEAD to create practical employment opportunities. Through a series of joint initiatives, including a job development agreement, departmental demand surveys, and job development workshops, YUHS expanded new roles tailored to workers with disabilities.

Newly introduced positions such as blood pressure measurement assistants using IoT technology, patient mobility aides based on smartwatch monitoring, and big data analysis center assistants have made a substantial impact on promoting disability-friendly employment.

As a result, the foundation, driven by YUHS’s initiatives, hired 82 employees with disabilities (equivalent to 164 under the double-counting rule for those with severe disabilities), transforming itself from a university that once topped private institutions in paying disability employment levies into a leading example of inclusive hiring.

The employment rate of people with disabilities rose from 1.03 percent in December 2022 to 2 percent by December 2024. YUHS continues to pursue the goal of achieving a 100 percent compliance rate with mandatory disability employment requirements.

“Through collaboration between the Yonsei University and the KEAD, we were able to build a truly inclusive work environment,” YUHS HR Headquarters Director Youn Young-nam said. “We will continue to fulfill our social responsibility by expanding opportunities for workers with disabilities and improving their working conditions.”