Pocheon City Welcomes 94 Cambodian Seasonal Workers, Hopes to Ease Rural Labor Shortage

Pocheon City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Baek Younghyeon) announced on May 1 that 94 foreign seasonal workers of Cambodian nationality entered the country on April 30. This is part of the seasonal worker program aimed at addressing the chronic labor shortage in rural areas.

Pocheon City held a welcome ceremony on the 30th for 94 foreign seasonal workers of Cambodian nationality who arrived in the country, and they are taking a commemorative photo. Provided by Pocheon City

Last year, Pocheon City successfully completed its first pilot operation by assigning 59 seasonal workers to 21 farms. This year, demand for hiring has more than doubled, with 66 farms expressing interest in employing a total of 189 foreign workers.

To meet this demand, Pocheon City is not only expanding exchanges with Cambodia but has also signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Laos to secure more foreign workers. Internally, the Pocheon City Agricultural Foundation is acting as the program operator, securing dedicated personnel and budget to provide support for workers' daily lives and to establish a system for monitoring working conditions.

The workers who have just arrived will undergo procedures such as drug testing, opening bank accounts, and receiving safety education before being assigned to 34 farms, where they will be engaged in tasks such as greenhouse cultivation and harvesting.

A Pocheon City official stated, "The arrival of foreign seasonal workers will greatly help alleviate the labor shortage in rural areas," adding, "We will continue to provide thorough management and support to ensure that workers can work in a safe and comfortable environment."

Meanwhile, there are already 62 workers staying at 21 farms in Pocheon City, and a total of about 180 seasonal workers are scheduled to arrive sequentially by July. The city is also actively promoting the construction of dedicated accommodations for foreign workers and supporting farm-type lodging projects to help workers settle in stably.