Yun Byeong-tae, Mayor of Naju, Meets with Mayor of Lubao, Philippines to Discuss Exchange and Cooperation

[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yuk-bong] On the 13th, Yoon Byung-tae, mayor of Naju City, met with Esmeralda G. Pineda, mayor of Lubao City, Pampanga Province, Philippines, to discuss exchange and cooperation plans for foreign seasonal workers to resolve labor shortages in rural areas.

According to the city on the 14th, the Lubao City delegation, consisting of Mayor Pineda and about 10 officials, visited Korea on the 10th to check the employment status of their workers, hold meetings, and encourage their efforts.

The delegation is known to have visited Naju City after discussions on promoting the 'Seasonal Worker Program' with domestic local governments, passing through the National Assembly, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Seongju County in Gyeongbuk Province.

At around 11:30 a.m. that day, Mayor Pineda proposed to Mayor Yoon during a meeting held in the small conference room of the city hall to create employment opportunities for their workers through the promotion of the seasonal worker program and to activate exchanges between the two cities.

Mayor Yoon responded to this proposal by saying, "The foreign seasonal worker program is a good opportunity to solve the rural labor shortage problem and to open the door for mutual prosperity and exchange between the two cities. However, since labor employment issues between countries require careful management above all, we will thoroughly review and continue discussions with Lubao City."

He added, "The shortage of agricultural labor caused by the decline and aging of the rural population is a critical issue that must be urgently resolved, especially considering the characteristics of Naju agriculture, such as pear farming, which requires a lot of labor. Starting with the formation of a dedicated TF team, we will devise special measures to resolve the labor shortage as soon as possible."

Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yuk-bong baekok@asiae.co.kr

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