One does not need more data and reports to ascertain how serious the youth unemployment problem in the country is. You can easily come across young men and women struggling to find jobs for years and those who toil in low-paying, unstable part-time and temporary jobs.

It is not surprising, therefore, that tackling the youth unemployment problem has become a national agenda, with government officials from the president down and politicians talking loudly about the issue.

However, some of the policy programs that have been announced are nothing more than populism. The prime examples are President Park’s “Youth Hope Fund” and Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon’s plan to dole out short-term monthly subsidy to unemployed youth from low-income households.

The president enlisted herself as the first contributor to the youth employment fund, donating 20 million won ($17,000) plus 20 percent of her monthly salary.

Not surprisingly, chaebol like Samsung, Hyundai Motor and LG lined up for what has become a charity-like campaign. Officials say the conglomerates are donating money voluntarily, but given Korean political culture and the influence the president and the government have on businesses, no conglomerate could ignore the president’s pet project. 

The fund, which has already collected more than 60 billion won, launched a foundation Friday, with officials saying it will provide job information, training and other services to young jobseekers. Much of its work will no doubt overlap with that of other government agencies -- like the Labor Ministry.

More important, the fund smacks of populism. Park’s ruling party is bracing for next April’s parliamentary elections, and it still trails the liberal opposition party in endorsement from young voters. Park and her aides may well believe that her image as a leader who cares about the adversity of young people will boost youth support for her and her conservative party.

It might be for the same reason that Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, a leading liberal politician, announced -- on the same day the Youth Hope Foundation was launched -- a plan to provide a monthly subsidy to jobless youths from low-income families.

Under the plan, about 3,000 jobless youths aged from 19 to 29 will receive 500,000 won for two to six months next year. Officials said the money is meant to be used by the beneficiaries for education, transportation and meals while they are seeking jobs.

This too is a typical populist policy. Those who benefit from the program may be happy for getting some money without doing or offering anything in return, but providing short-term money -- too petty to become a solid resource for helping the jobless find jobs -- can never be a major means to alleviate the unemployment problem.

Mayor Park is a leading presidential candidate, yet we don’t have to link whatever he does to his presidential aspiration. Nevertheless, one cannot help but suspect that it is part of his endeavor to reach out to young voters.

It is true that creating jobs for the youth is an urgent national task, but the key is in strengthening the health of the economy so that the private sector can increase investment and employment. A charity-like fund or one-time subsidy are merely a show for buying the hearts of our poor youth.