First Introduction of Rural Dispatched Labor... Support for 1,000 Workers' 4 Major Insurance Fees Over 6 Months

Investing 2.16 Billion KRW to Support 360,000 KRW per Person Monthly for 6 Months
Dispatch Fee 160,000 KRW · Four Major Insurance Fees 200,000 KRW, etc.

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The government will inject supplementary budget funds to support the employment of up to 1,000 dispatched workers for a maximum of six months to prevent labor shortages during the busy farming season. It will provide 360,000 KRW per worker per month, including the four major social insurance premiums. This is the first time the dispatched labor system is being introduced in the agricultural sector. Urban residents will be recognized as a kind of 'fixed-term workers' with employment status, rather than coming to work in rural areas as 'short-term daily workers' through the existing manpower brokerage system. The government expects an increase in the influx of urban residents into rural areas.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 27th that it will newly introduce the 'Emergency Dispatched Labor Support in the Agricultural Sector.' This project supports the four major social insurance premiums and dispatch fees when farms hire dispatched workers coming from cities or other areas. The supplementary budget secured last month amounts to 1.728 billion KRW, with an additional 432 million KRW from local government funds. The ministry explained that the project was planned to supplement the prevalent brokerage and daily labor in the agricultural employment market, meet the labor demand of farms, and promote urban residents' entry into the agricultural employment market.

The ministry said, "This project, which introduces the dispatched labor system in the agricultural sector for the first time, is expected to stably supply agricultural labor during the busy farming season and contribute to improving the working environment in agriculture in the long term, such as enrolling workers in the four major social insurances and drafting employment contracts."

Project Implementation System. (Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs)

From the farm's perspective, they will be able to utilize suitable labor for the required period under appropriate working conditions. They can stably employ workers with a certain level of competence. Workers will be guaranteed the four major social insurances and can negotiate rest and holiday times before work to draft employment contracts. This allows them to work in a better working environment.

Urban residents have generally worked as daily workers for one to two weeks when work arises on farms. With the implementation of the dispatched labor project, urban residents will be guaranteed stable status and working conditions at least during the contract period. A Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs official said, "It is expected that the incentive for urban residents to enter the agricultural employment market will increase."

Comparison of Brokerage-Dispatch Methods. (Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs)

Dispatched labor support will be carried out by local governments (cities, counties, districts). Each local government designates a dispatch employer, who then negotiates working conditions with farms and signs dispatch contracts. Based on the agreements with farms, the dispatch employer recruits dispatched workers to engage in farm work. Farms can inquire about participation in the project through the agricultural manpower-related departments of local governments and negotiate working conditions with the designated dispatch employer to sign dispatch contracts. Prospective workers can contact the selected local government and express their intention to participate to the designated dispatch employer.

Currently, 17 cities and counties, including Yeoju City in Gyeonggi Province and Muju County in Jeollabuk Province, have been selected as the first project targets. After procedures such as designating dispatch employers and recruiting workers, dispatched workers will be supplied to farms starting next month. The second project target local governments will be selected next month, and if necessary, additional local governments will be recruited during the year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.