Foreign Workers' 'Disappearance of Rural Laborers'... NongHyup Steps In

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyun-jung] Amid difficulties in securing labor during the spring farming season in rural areas due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (NongHyup) is continuing to assist with farm labor across the country.

According to NongHyup on the 28th, with the entry of foreign seasonal workers into Korea restricted due to the spread of COVID-19, NongHyup plans to mediate 1.1 million paid and unpaid workers this year and increase the number of related operation offices by nearly 80% compared to last year. First, the number of farm work team operation offices, which was 99 last year, will be expanded to a total of 176 by this month. The labor pool for the farm work teams will be broadened to include young farmers, agricultural university students and graduates, general university students, and urban idle manpower.

NongHyup intends to focus on deploying paid labor through the farm work teams during the busy farming season, which lasts until June. The related workforce increased by 184,000 from 316,000 in the second quarter of last year to 500,000 in the second quarter of this year.

They will promote the operation of farm work teams targeting farmers and job participants, and conduct promotions such as selecting and awarding excellent offices based on new recruitment, mediation, and recruitment performance. The labor mediation rate improved to 73.8% as of the 6th, compared to 68% last year.

Earlier, it was reported that about 4,532 foreign seasonal workers could not enter the country due to COVID-19. In response, the government began accepting applications from 3,925 foreign workers with F-1 (visiting family) and E-9 (employment permit system) visas who wished to change workplaces after employment from the 30th of last month, allowing temporary seasonal work. Additionally, through NongHyup’s city and county branch managers, 242 replacement foreign workers were supplied as of the end of last month. Prospective returnees to farming in the region, young farmers, 4-H club members, and agricultural university students (graduates) stepped in as replacement workers.

Furthermore, NongHyup plans to reduce costs and contribute to management stability through farm work outsourcing and mechanization projects. The number of agricultural cooperatives participating in the agricultural machinery bank project, which was about 624 last year, will increase to 630 this year, and the related outsourced area will expand from 1,187,000 hectares last year to 1,200,000 hectares this year.

Along with this, NongHyup is directly visiting sites to assist with farm labor in cooperation with the Central Headquarters and regional centers of the Agricultural, Forestry and Fisheries Credit Guarantee Fund. On the 24th, more than 40 education executives and staff, including the head of the NongHyup Human Resources Development Institute, visited flower and leafy vegetable farms in Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province, together with Byeokje NongHyup, helping with seed sowing and greenhouse harvesting. The Human Resources Development Institute has signed a labor assistance agreement with Byeokje NongHyup and has conducted volunteer activities annually.

On the same day, the NongHyup Economic Holding Company also sent more than 40 executives and staff, including Choi Moon-seop, head of the Business Support Headquarters, to visit a cherry tomato farm in Chungju City, Chungbuk Province, where they carried out cherry tomato harvesting and side shoot removal. The participating executives and staff took thorough safety measures by measuring their temperature before starting the labor assistance, wearing masks, and maintaining a certain distance to prevent COVID-19 infection.

Jang Cheol-hoon Representative Director of Agricultural Economics, NongHyup Economic Holding Company stated, “As COVID-19 prolongs, rural areas are facing many difficulties during the period when labor is most needed,” adding, “NongHyup Economic Holding Company will continue to take the lead in assisting farm labor to alleviate the hardships of farmers.”