Supporting Smooth Communication Between Foreign Workers and Farm Owners... Distribution of 'Farm Communication Guide'

The government has decided to produce a communication guide to support smooth interactions between foreign workers and farm owners and will distribute it to farms in May. The communication guide will include expressions such as forms of address, basic conversational phrases, agricultural work terminology, and safety rules.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on April 30 that it will produce and distribute the "Our Farm Communication Guide" to promote the protection of human rights for foreign workers in the agricultural sector and foster a culture of mutual respect.

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A representative from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs stated, "The number of foreign workers employed in the agricultural sector has increased every year, from 20,738 in 2020 to 129,930 in the first half of this year. However, due to language and cultural differences between farm owners and foreign workers, there have been difficulties in delivering work instructions, communicating safety guidelines, and having daily conversations. These issues have raised concerns about reduced work efficiency, human rights violations, and increased risk of safety accidents, which is why we decided to create the communication guide."

The Ministry will produce the communication guide in eight languages, considering the main countries sending foreign workers: Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Nepal, Myanmar, and Mongolia. A total of 8,000 copies will be distributed to farms through 285 public seasonal labor cooperatives and rural manpower brokerage centers.

The communication guide will be produced in a portable pocketbook format so that farm owners can use it immediately in the field. An audio support service will also be available via a QR code printed in the pocketbook.

Yoon Wonsup, Agricultural Policy Director at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "I hope the publication of the Our Farm Communication Guide will serve as an opportunity to spread a culture of understanding and consideration between farm owners and foreign workers."

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