"Sustainable Worker Inflow: Expanding Quotas Is Not the Only Solution" [Oenolja Jeolbyeok]

⑤Desirable Policy Directions According to Experts
Need to Improve Working Conditions Alongside Visa Quota Expansion
Urgent Domestic Settlement of Foreign Workers' Children

Editor's NoteIt has been 20 years since the Employment Permit System for foreign workers (hereinafter referred to as foreign workers) began with the entry of 92 Filipino workers in August 2004. As of the end of last year, the number of foreign workers reached 920,000, increasing ten thousandfold over the past 20 years. Considering the need to fill labor shortages in 3D industries that domestic workers avoid and the accelerating trend of low birthrates and aging population, many more foreign workers will be needed in the future. However, foreign workers face visa barriers that lead to a vicious cycle of deportation before becoming skilled workers or remaining as undocumented immigrants. This contrasts with neighboring countries like Japan, where population decline due to low birthrates has begun, actively lowering immigration barriers to encourage foreign workers to settle. Although a competition for foreign workers among countries is expected, South Korea has yet to establish a control tower to oversee immigration policies, resulting in a rapid increase in undocumented immigrants. This article examines the current status of foreign workers and immigration policies in South Korea, along with desirable policy directions for sustainable growth and securing a working-age population.

As the government actively promotes expanding visa quotas for foreign workers to address labor shortages, immigration policy experts advise that alongside quota expansion, accurate labor demand assessment, restructuring of declining industries, and improvement of working conditions must accompany it. This is analyzed as essential for sustainable inflow of foreign workers.

"Accurate Calculation of Required Workforce by Industry is Essential... Quotas Should Not Be Increased Without Basis"

Seol Dong-hoon, Professor of Sociology at Jeonbuk National University

Experts pointed out that the most urgent task in the government's foreign worker and immigration management policy is to first accurately assess labor demand and manage visa quotas accordingly. Continuously increasing foreign labor supply without precise data can only cause side effects.

Seol Dong-hoon, a domestic immigration policy expert and professor of sociology at Jeonbuk National University, said in an interview with this paper, "The government has significantly increased the quota for non-professional employment (E-9) visas under the Employment Permit System, but it is unclear on what basis this increase was made. The number of workers needed annually should be managed based on accurate data by industry and region." In reality, the government's management of foreign workers is scattered across multiple ministries. It is divided among four agencies?the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries?by visa type and industry, making integrated management difficult.

Professor Seol explained, "Actually, the working-age population has not yet sharply declined. The issue of regional extinction is mainly caused by a mismatch where young generations move to the metropolitan area due to lack of suitable jobs, not by labor shortage. This mismatch causes simultaneous job-seeking and job-offering difficulties in the domestic labor market. Simply continuing to deploy foreign workers in industries experiencing labor shortages is not a fundamental solution and may only increase resistance from domestic workers."

"We Must Not Patch Up with Foreign Workers Without Improving Harsh Conditions... Restructuring of Declining Industries is Necessary"

Seok Won-jeong, Representative of the Association for the Human Rights of Foreign Migrant Workers

Restructuring of declining industries with harsh working conditions and improvement of labor environments were also identified as urgent tasks. Seok Won-jeong, representative of the Association for the Human Rights of Foreign Migrant Workers, said, "Looking at the recent controversy over Filipino domestic helpers who have left, the logic stems from the fact that domestic helpers are expensive, so foreign workers willing to work for low wages in harsh conditions are used instead." He added, "If we put ourselves in their shoes, if Koreans went abroad to work as domestic helpers and were required to follow curfews and roll calls, no matter how much money was offered, it would be difficult to work."

Seok explained, "Declining industries with harsh working conditions require restructuring, environmental improvements, and government support. Through this, an environment where foreign and domestic workers can work together should be created first." He also pointed out, "The employment structure that patches labor shortages in low-wage, harsh working condition sectors with foreign workers because domestic workers avoid them should not continue."

Seok expressed regret, saying, "In the case of Filipino domestic helpers, if efforts had been made first to secure wages and improve working conditions for domestic helpers before bringing in foreign workers, it might have been easier to resolve this issue. Treating foreign workers poorly ultimately worsens the labor market environment itself and only leaves foreigner hatred and discrimination."

"Before Increasing Visa Quotas, We Must Focus on the Settlement of Foreign Workers' Children Raised in Korea"

Jung Gi-seon, Ph.D., Institute for Social Development, Seoul National University

There are also calls to first establish institutional improvements so that undocumented immigrants and their children can settle in Korea as industrial manpower. Jeong Gi-seon, a researcher at the Seoul National University Institute for Social Development, said, "Seasonal workers (E-8) who mainly come to rural areas during planting or harvesting seasons can only extend their visas for up to eight months, so many become undocumented immigrants to work longer in Korea. About 95% of foreign workers in rural areas are undocumented." He explained, "Before increasing visa quotas to bring in more foreign workers, we need to find ways to improve visa issues for those who have become undocumented immigrants and utilize them."

Jeong pointed out, "It is estimated that about 20,000 children born to undocumented immigrants or foreign workers have grown up in Korea but are deported to their parents' home countries once they become adults. While quotas for foreign workers unfamiliar with Korean culture are greatly increased, there is no consideration of utilizing those who have grown up within Korean culture as manpower."

Jeong emphasized that the visa system related to foreign workers should be simplified compared to the current system. He said, "The visa system is too complicated for even domestic people to understand and needs to be reorganized and made easier to comprehend legally. If the current structure continues, immigration brokers who profit between foreign workers and authorities will only get richer."