Gumi City Council Passes 'Foreign Seasonal Worker Support Ordinance' in Plenary Session... Proposed by Yang Jinho

Addressing Labor Shortages During Farming Season and Protecting the Rights of Foreign Workers
Strengthening the Competitiveness of Local Agriculture Expected

The Gumi City Council in Gyeongbuk has established an institutional framework to address labor shortages in rural areas and protect the human rights of foreign workers.

Yang Jinho, member of Gumi City Council, Gyeongbuk

The Gumi City Council announced on May 20 that, during the 287th extraordinary session’s second plenary meeting, it had given final approval to the ordinance on supporting foreign seasonal workers in Gumi City. The ordinance was proposed by Yang Jinho (People Power Party, Seonsan, Mueul, Okseong, Dogae) and co-sponsored by Kim Wonseop (People Power Party, Doryang-dong).

This ordinance was introduced to resolve the recurring labor shortages during the farming season each year and to establish a systematic and efficient institutional foundation for operating the foreign seasonal worker program.

The ordinance includes: ▲ the purpose and definitions of terms (Articles 1-2), ▲ the responsibilities of the mayor of Gumi (Article 3), ▲ the establishment of an operational plan for foreign seasonal workers (Article 4), and ▲ the basis for administrative and financial support for both workers and employers (Article 5).

Yang Jinho emphasized, "The foreign seasonal worker program has become a key solution for securing agricultural labor, and actual demand continues to increase. Through the enactment of this ordinance, we will be able to protect the human rights and working conditions of foreign workers, while also ensuring the sustainability of local agriculture."

Based on this ordinance, Gumi City plans to strengthen the foundation for attracting and settling foreign seasonal workers and to actively support stable farming activities for farmers who are facing difficulties due to the aging population.

In particular, the establishment of a more sophisticated management system for foreign workers through this ordinance is expected to further enhance the competitiveness of local agriculture.