Gokseong County Welcomes 20 Additional Public Seasonal Workers from Laos

"Expectations for Alleviating Labor Shortages During the Busy Farming Season"

With the addition of 20 public seasonal workers from Laos on the 9th following the 40 who arrived in March, Gokseong County is expected to somewhat alleviate the labor shortage during the busy farming season. Provided by Gokseong County

Gokseong County in South Jeolla Province (Governor Cho Sangrae) announced on May 12 that, following the arrival of 40 public seasonal workers from Laos in March, an additional 20 workers entered the country on May 9.

The newly arrived public seasonal workers completed health checkups and were assigned to Seokgok Agricultural Cooperative. Over the weekend, they received training on living in Korea and agricultural safety, after which they signed employment contracts.

These workers will be deployed to farms experiencing labor shortages for five months until early October. Along with the 40 seasonal workers assigned to Gokseong Agricultural Cooperative and Okgwa Agricultural Cooperative, they are expected to help address the rural labor shortage in the region.

An official from the county stated, "Through the foreign seasonal worker program, we will not only supply labor to rural areas but also actively support the workers so that they are respected, work diligently, and return home in good health." The official added, "To protect the human rights of seasonal workers, we will frequently visit worksites to listen to their concerns and do our utmost to ensure they experience no inconvenience in their daily lives."

Meanwhile, farms in need of labor must apply in advance to Gokseong, Okgwa, or Seokgok Agricultural Cooperatives. The daily wage is 100,000 won per person, and farms can receive labor support by depositing the amount with the cooperative to which they apply.