Jeongeup-si Introduces Foreign Seasonal Workers to Resolve Farm Labor Shortage

Published 19 Jan.2023 13:56(KST)

[Jeongeup=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Jaegil] Jeongeup City, Jeonbuk Province, is working on measures to resolve the labor issue, which has the greatest impact on agricultural management due to the decline and aging of the rural population.

Jeongeup City conducted preliminary training for farms employing foreign seasonal workers. <br>[Photo by Jeongeup City]

Jeongeup City conducted preliminary training for farms employing foreign seasonal workers.
[Photo by Jeongeup City]

The city announced on the 19th that last year it signed an MOU agreement on the introduction of foreign seasonal workers with Lam Dong Province in Vietnam and the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training of Cambodia, and surveyed the demand from hopeful farming households.

Since then, it has been approved and allocated 150 foreign seasonal workers by the Ministry of Justice in the first half of this year, which is expected to somewhat ease the rural labor shortage.

On the same day, the city conducted pre-education for 73 people, including employers wishing to hire foreign seasonal workers, marriage immigrants, and officials in charge of eup, myeon, and dong, to establish a proper labor-management culture for foreign workers.

During the education, the purpose of the foreign seasonal worker program was explained, and guidance was provided on measures to take in case of unauthorized departure, prevention of human rights violations, and essential employer compliance such as adherence to working hours and provision of appropriate living conditions.

A city official said, “The introduction of foreign seasonal workers is expected to be a great help to farming sites struggling with labor shortages,” and added, “We will gradually expand the introduction of seasonal workers to stably supply labor during the busy farming season.”

Meanwhile, the city plans to focus on expanding the operation of the Rural Labor Support Brokerage Centers (Jeongeup Nonghyup, Jeongeup Horticultural Nonghyup, Jeongeup Saemgol Nonghyup), which supply domestic labor needed in rural areas, to support stable agricultural management.