Geochang County Ensures Stable Operation of Foreign Seasonal Worker Program... Holds Briefing Session for Farm Owners

Introduction of the Foreign Seasonal Worker Program and Human Rights Protection Training

Creating a Cooperative Employment Environment for Farms and Workers

Geochang County, South Gyeongsang Province, announced on March 6 that it held a "Briefing Session for Employers of Foreign Seasonal Workers" at the main auditorium of the Future Agricultural Complex Education Center, with about 150 farm owners employing seasonal workers in attendance.

This briefing session was organized to ensure the stable operation of the seasonal worker program ahead of the main farming season. In particular, the aim was to create a satisfactory employment environment for both workers and farms by providing employers in advance with information on essential matters they must be aware of.

The session proceeded with presentations on: ▲ the current status and future direction of the Geochang-style seasonal worker operation ▲ employer compliance requirements and updates to relevant policies ▲ education on the prevention of human rights violations by inviting external lecturers ▲ listening to difficulties faced by farms and a Q&A segment.

Geochang County, Era of 1,000 Seasonal Workers! On-site Photo of Farmers' Meeting

At the session, County Governor Koo Inmo stated, "Despite challenging conditions such as climate change, natural disasters, and unstable agricultural product prices, Geochang agriculture has continued to grow thanks to the dedication of farmers on the ground," adding, "We will do our utmost to ensure that the seasonal worker program is established as a sustainable system where both employers and workers can thrive together."

Starting with the introduction of 246 foreign seasonal workers in 2022, Geochang County deployed 758 foreign seasonal workers to farms in 2025, alleviating the rural labor shortage. This year, the Ministry of Justice assigned 824 workers to a total of 266 farms, an increase of 66 compared to the previous year. If additional demand surveys are conducted in the second half of the year, the annual total is expected to approach 1,000 workers.

In particular, the county has established a comprehensive system in which the administration directly manages not only the supply of labor but also pre-departure training, entry and exit management, residency support, grievance counseling, and welfare management. This so-called "Geochang Model" has been recognized by the Philippine government as a best practice for labor dispatch, earning external credibility, and is also attracting attention as a benchmarking model for other local governments in Korea.

Currently, Geochang County is a super-aged region, with over 57% of the total population aged 65 or older. The seasonal worker program has become an essential policy for stabilizing farm management. In fact, analysis shows that employing a worker for eight months results in labor cost savings of more than 8 million won per person, earning high approval from farms.

Additionally, the county has designated an additional operator of the "public seasonal worker" program for small-scale farms, expanding from the existing Northern Geochang Agricultural Cooperative to include the Eastern Geochang Agricultural Cooperative this year, making it possible to operate a total of 100 workers. Furthermore, a second dormitory capable of accommodating 40 workers will be built in Gajo-myeon to improve workers' living conditions and create a stable settlement environment.

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