Moon Geumju: "Resolving Rural Labor Shortage... Promoting Designation of Specialized Institution"

Forum on "Operation of Foreign Seasonal Worker Support Institutions"
"Building a Trusted Win-Win Platform for Farmers and Workers"

Moon Geumju, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a forum on "Operation Plans for a Specialized Agency Supporting Foreign Seasonal Workers" at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 29th. Photo by Moon Geumju's Office

Discussions aimed at resolving the chronic labor shortage in rural and fishing communities and seeking stable operation and settlement plans for the foreign seasonal worker system have begun in earnest.

On September 29, Assemblyman Moon Geumju of the Democratic Party of Korea (representing Goheung, Boseong, Jangheung, and Gangjin in South Jeolla Province) held a forum on "Operation Plans for a Specialized Institution Supporting Foreign Seasonal Workers" at the National Assembly Members' Office Building.

This forum was organized to discuss the roles and operational strategies of the "Specialized Institution Supporting Seasonal Workers," which will be newly established in accordance with the amendment to the Immigration Control Act passed by the National Assembly in July. The amendment aims to strengthen the systematic management of the system by including provisions for: ▲ designation and operation of specialized institutions, ▲ introduction of management and support programs for seasonal workers, and ▲ prohibition of worker selection, brokerage, and recruitment by unauthorized entities.

Kim Oknyo, a professor at Sookmyung Women's University who served as chairperson, proposed, "Let us seek concrete implementation plans so that the designation and operation of the specialized institution can proceed swiftly, in line with the intent of the legal amendment." In her presentation, Yoo Mini, a researcher at the Korea Immigration Policy Institute, emphasized, "The specialized institution should serve as a control tower encompassing cooperation with sending countries, worker selection and training, immigration procedures, protection of human rights, and handling of civil complaints." Park Changdeok, head of the Korea Immigration Society of Experts, added, "The specialized institution should not be a simple intermediary support organization, but rather an entity that works closely on the ground and carries out practical tasks."

Representatives from the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, local governments, and farming households also voiced their perspectives from the field. Lee Kyungju, executive director of Hongdong Agricultural Cooperative in South Chungcheong Province, said, "The public seasonal worker program plays a role in sustaining rural communities, but due to its deficit structure and excessive work burden, its sustainability is low," and requested financial and institutional support from the government. Heo Jigang, a team leader at Hongcheon County Office, shared, "Local governments are directly handling hundreds of immigration procedures every year and are facing the limits of their administrative capacity."

Further issues from the field were raised. Ji Choonam, CEO of Jangheung-gun Agricultural Corporation, pointed out, "In rural areas, the time gap in labor supply, lack of accommodation, and wage burdens are real problems." He suggested, "Institutional flexibility is needed, such as switching to a daily wage system, supporting shared accommodations, and providing opportunities for pre-interviews." Kim Yeonhong, a researcher at the Korea University Research Institute for Aging Society, stressed, "It is structurally impossible for local governments alone to manage seasonal workers," and called for a clear cooperation system among the central government, local governments, and specialized institutions, as well as the establishment of a management model without brokers.

Assemblyman Moon stated, "It is the duty of the National Assembly to resolve both the rural labor shortage and the inconveniences faced by foreign seasonal workers," and added, "From the design stage, we will work closely with the field to ensure the specialized institution becomes a trusted platform for both farmers and workers, and we will reflect this in policy."

Meanwhile, the forum was co-hosted by Assemblymen Kim Gipyo, Lee Kangil, Lee Byungjin, Lee Jaegwan, Lim Mi-ae, Park Junghyun, Park Ji-won, Park Heeseung, Jeong Ilyoung, and Joo Cheolhyeon. It was co-organized by the Korea Immigration Society of Experts, the Multicultural Society Experts Association, the Korea Immigration Policy Institute, the Korea Foreign Real Estate Policy Association, and The World, with support from Nongmin Newspaper, the Korean National Tuberculosis Association, and the Vietnamese Community in Korea, among others.