Hwasun County Welcomes First Group of Foreign Seasonal Workers for the Second Half of the Year

44 Seasonal Workers from Laos Assigned to Local Farms
Supporting Rural Labor Needs for Five Months During Fall and Winter

Hwasun County in Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City has officially begun implementing a program to bring in foreign seasonal workers for the second half of the year to address the labor shortages faced by rural areas during the fall and winter seasons.

On the 5th, Hwasun County announced that, on September 3, a group of 44 foreign seasonal workers from Laos, the first for the latter half of the year, had entered the country. These workers will be assigned to local farms and are scheduled to work for five months. If their employment contracts are extended, they may work for up to nine months.

Group photo commemorating the seasonal workers from Laos entering the country. Provided by Hwasun County

To ensure a smooth entry and settlement process for the workers, the county arranged transportation and drug tests with support from the Regional Support Center at Suncheon National University. On the day of arrival, the county also provided administrative support to help prepare documentation needed for foreigner registration and opening bank accounts.

Prior to deployment to the farms, early adaptation training sessions were conducted for the workers.

As completion of the Ministry of Justice's 'Seasonal Worker Early Adaptation Program' has been mandatory since July this year, information was provided regarding daily life adjustment, basic laws and public order, industrial safety, and human rights protection, all of which are necessary for their stay and work in Korea.

As demand continues to rise, especially from greenhouse farms that need manpower year-round, Hwasun County plans to make efforts to ensure a stable supply of workers and to manage the working environment for foreign seasonal laborers.

Earlier in the first half of this year, more than 300 foreign seasonal workers entered the region and were placed with local farms, demonstrating that the seasonal worker system has played an important role in alleviating chronic labor shortages in rural areas.

An Jinhwan, head of the Rural Vitality Division in Hwasun County, stated, "The demand among farms for foreign seasonal workers continues to grow each year," and added, "We will thoroughly monitor working conditions so that both the farms and the workers can enjoy a stable, mutually beneficial relationship. We are committed to ensuring the smooth operation of the seasonal worker program."

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