‘Pohang-si - Vietnam Nghe An Province’ Foreign Seasonal Workers Introduction MOU Signed ... Addressing Labor Shortage

Utilizing Multicultural Families, Introducing Seasonal Workers through MOU

Expecting Quality Labor Supply, Strengthening Continuous Exchange and Cooperation

Pohang City Hall.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Dong-guk] Pohang City signed a business agreement (MOU) on the 24th with Nghe An Province, Vietnam, to address the labor shortage issue in winter dried gwamegi and squid drying fisheries by introducing foreign seasonal workers and promoting exchanges.

The business agreement was held non-face-to-face via video chat in the city hall's main conference room, attended by Acting Mayor Lee Jang-sik of Pohang, Chairman Jwa Dong-geun of the Guryongpo Gwamegi Business Cooperative, Chairman Kim Byung-chul of the Guryongpo Squid Drying Cooperative, Doan Hong Vu, Director of the Nghe An Provincial Department of Labor, and other officials. Pohang City and Nghe An Province discussed matters related to the selection and dispatch of seasonal workers, wages, and overall working conditions.

Through this agreement, the city plans to dispatch and introduce about 200 seasonal workers from Nghe An Province in the second half of this year to resolve labor shortages in fisheries and promote mutual development in the fisheries sector by spreading advanced fishing technologies to Nghe An. The city will continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation.

Pohang City first introduced the 'Foreign Seasonal Worker Program' conducted by the Ministry of Justice in 2017 to solve the chronic labor shortage in dried gwamegi and squid drying fisheries. This program achieved dual benefits by addressing labor shortages through multicultural families and providing opportunities for family reunions for multicultural households.

Over the past two years, due to overseas entry and exit restrictions caused by the spread of COVID-19, the program faced difficulties in securing smooth labor supply by relying only on legally residing foreigners in Korea. However, with the recent easing of quarantine guidelines, the city plans to recruit and assign about 350 workers through a two-track approach: utilizing existing multicultural families and securing high-quality workers from Nghe An Province, Vietnam, to promote smooth operation and revitalization of fisheries.

Acting Mayor Lee Jang-sik said, "With this business agreement, we expect a smooth supply of high-quality laborers experienced in the fisheries sector from Vietnam." He added, "In the future, we will build a cooperative system for mutual development by exchanging and cooperating in various fields beyond fisheries with Nghe An Province, Vietnam."

Nghe An Province, which signed the agreement this time, is the largest province in Vietnam by area, located on the north-central coast of Vietnam, with a population of 3.1 million, making it the fourth most populous province in Vietnam.