Yeoncheon County to Receive 385 Foreign Seasonal Workers in 2026

120 Farm Owners Plan to Employ Foreign Seasonal Workers

Yeoncheon County in Gyeonggi Province announced on October 21 that, according to the results of a demand survey for the 2026 foreign seasonal worker program conducted from September 12 to 30, a total of 385 foreign seasonal workers were requested by 120 farms.

Yeoncheon County to Welcome 385 Foreign Seasonal Workers in 2026. Provided by Yeoncheon County

The final number of workers that can be assigned to farms in Yeoncheon County next year will be determined in December following a review and allocation meeting with the Ministry of Justice.

The county plans to ensure that foreign seasonal workers can enter the country in accordance with the farming schedules of local farms. After the responsible department completes inspections of worker accommodations for the applicant farms, an information session on the 2026 program and mandatory requirements for farm owners will be held for 120 farms on October 30.

In August, Yeoncheon County expanded the pool of local governments supplying labor from only Vietnam to include Cambodia by signing a business agreement with Cambodia regarding the recruitment of foreign seasonal workers. As a result, farms can now choose workers from either Vietnam or Cambodia. Cambodian workers assigned to farms since September of this year have received high satisfaction ratings from farm owners, and demand is expected to increase further next year.

Kim Deokhyeon, Governor of Yeoncheon County, stated, "The labor shortage in rural areas is worsening due to an aging population. We will actively utilize the foreign seasonal worker program to fill labor gaps in the agricultural sector and minimize the burden on farms."

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