Haenam-gun Signs MOU to Attract Foreign Seasonal Workers

Visit to Philippine Local Governments, Exchange Agreement with San Mateo City and Others

[Haenam=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Hyun] Jeonnam Haenam-gun announced on the 17th that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the ‘2023 Foreign Seasonal Workers Exchange’ by visiting three local governments in the Philippines.

Deputy County Mayor Gwak Jun-gil and other county officials visited San Mateo City, GMA City, and Amadeo City in the Philippines consecutively from the 8th to the 11th and signed agreements to ensure the smooth supply of foreign seasonal workers.

According to this agreement, the Philippine local governments will support the selection of workers suitable for the conditions of attracting seasonal workers, all administrative procedures and visa applications necessary for departure, and mandatory pre-departure training for workers.

Accordingly, Haenam-gun will support proper working conditions and environments through visa issuance by Korean overseas diplomatic missions to ensure timely entry of seasonal workers and continuous guidance and inspection during their stay in Korea.

This year, 141 seasonal workers have entered from the three Philippine cities where the MOU was signed. In particular, by investing a total project cost of 4.7 billion KRW, including 1.2 billion KRW of national funds, to build a dormitory for agricultural workers in Okdong-ri, Hwangsan-myeon by next year, the county is making every effort to secure rural manpower and stabilize workers’ housing.

Myung Hyun-gwan, Haenam County Mayor, said, “I hope this agreement will help stabilize the management of farms suffering from the double burden of soaring labor costs and labor shortages,” and added, “We will strengthen a continuous cooperation system by sharing and developing mutual advantages in various fields beyond agricultural exchanges.”

Haenam=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Hyun alwatros@asiae.co.kr

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