Yeongdeok-gun, Training for Fisheries Employers and Foreign Seasonal Workers

Employment Period Extended by 3 Months, Expected to Alleviate Labor Shortage in Seafood Processing Sector

Yeongdeok-gun, Gyeongbuk Province, held an arrival orientation on the 6th at the Yeongdeok Lohas Seafood Food Center auditorium for employers and workers to ensure the smooth operation of the foreign seasonal worker program in the seafood processing sector.

Yeongdeok-gun conducted training for fisheries employers and foreign seasonal workers.

The foreign seasonal worker program is a system that hires foreign workers to address the seasonal labor shortages characteristic of the fishing industry. Starting this year, the employment period has been extended from 5 months to a maximum of 8 months, which is expected to greatly assist employers in the seafood processing sector who are struggling with aging and labor shortages.

This year, 68 foreign seasonal workers invited by Yeongdeok-gun, who are within the fourth degree of kinship of marriage immigrants through the cooperation of the Multicultural Family Center, entered the country. After completing procedures such as drug testing and industrial accident insurance, they were assigned to 23 local squid and flounder seafood processing companies.

At the orientation, 100 people including company employers, foreign seasonal workers, and multicultural families attended. The session began with drug crime prevention education by the Yeongdeok Police Station, followed by information on housing conditions, minimum wage, working hours, management to prevent illegal stay of foreigners, and human rights protection?matters that both employers and workers must comply with.

County Governor Kim Gwang-yeol said, “This orientation was prepared to protect workers' rights and to promote coexistence based on mutual respect between employers and workers. We will do our best to invite more foreign seasonal workers in a timely manner next year to ensure stable management of local industries.”