Dormitory for Foreign Workers in Rural Areas to Be Established... Gyeongbuk Province and Yeongyang County Selected for Hub-Type Construction Project Competition

Securing 1.2 Billion Won in National Funds Eases Labor Shortage for Foreign Seasonal and Domestic Workers

Gyeongbuk Provincial Government Office

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Gwiyeol] Yeongyang County in Gyeongbuk has found a breakthrough in securing agricultural labor.

On the 7th, Gyeongbuk Province announced that Yeongyang County was finally selected for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' 'Rural Foreign Worker Dormitory Construction Support Project,' securing 1.2 billion KRW in national funding.

The 'Rural Foreign Worker Dormitory Construction Support Project' is a government pilot project aimed at improving the living conditions of foreign workers to ensure a stable supply of rural labor.

The project was open for applications from local governments nationwide last November, and after document screening and on-site evaluations, a total of eight cities and counties from four provinces, including Gyeongbuk Province, were finally selected: two hub-type and six village-type dormitories.

Yeongyang County will construct a dormitory with a total floor area of 1,850㎡ over two years from this year to next year, consisting of one basement floor and two above-ground floors, capable of accommodating 100 people. A total project cost of 2.4 billion KRW will be invested to provide 25 rooms, a dining hall, auditorium, lounge, and other community facilities.

Until now, Yeongyang, which is located in the northeastern part of Gyeongbuk Province, has required many workers during the spring and fall farming seasons, especially for crops such as chili peppers, apples, and watermelons, but it has been difficult to secure labor due to its geographical location. It took a lot of time for outside workers to commute, and for those staying, there were few lodging facilities near farms, so farmers had to provide lodging and meals themselves, which was a heavy burden.

Once the dormitory is completed, it is expected to be much easier to employ not only foreign workers but also domestic workers.

Kim Jongsu, Director of the Agriculture, Livestock and Distribution Bureau of Gyeongbuk Province, said, “This will reduce the burden on farmers and greatly help supply labor for the chili pepper harvest in Yeongyang County, a major chili pepper production area.”

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