Gyeongnam Province Expands Operation of 'Nongchon Employment Support Center' to Address Labor Shortage During Farming Season

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] Gyeongsangnam-do announced on the 8th that it will respond to labor shortages by expanding the operation of the Rural Employment Support Center due to the decrease in rural population and rural workforce caused by COVID-19.

The province plans to solve the shortage of rural labor during the busy farming season by increasing the budget for the Rural Employment Support Center project, expanding the number of intermediaries, and grasping the current farming situation through the operation of the Provincial Agricultural Workforce Support Situation Room.

The Rural Employment Support Center helps resolve labor shortages by mediating workers to farms in need of labor. It supports transportation costs, accommodation fees, work safety equipment, and injury insurance premiums for farm workers.

Ahead of the full-scale farming season, the Agricultural Workforce Support Situation Room will be operated to prepare for any labor shortages during the busy farming period.

Lee Jeong-gon, Director of the Agricultural Policy Bureau of Gyeongnam Province, stated, "It is expected that the demand for agricultural labor will increase from mid-April, so we will expand the support projects of the Rural Employment Support Center and cooperate with organizations such as the NongHyup to do our best to secure labor during the busy farming season."

Meanwhile, the current labor mediation performance this year is 26,251 people. Last year, nine mediation centers mediated labor for about 90,000 people, and this year, it is expected to mediate labor for about 150,000 people.