Nonsan City Shifts Rural Labor Policy with Seasonal Worker Agreement with Mongolia

Mayor Baek Sung-hyun: "A Challenge That Determines the Survival of Agriculture"
Local Government-Led System for Overseas Labor Supply Established

The labor shortage in rural areas is no longer just an issue of welfare or support. Baek Sung-hyun, Mayor of Nonsan City in South Chungcheong Province, has defined this as a core policy challenge that determines the survival of agriculture, and has begun collaborating with overseas local governments to institutionalize the recruitment of foreign seasonal workers.

Nonsan City has announced its plan to transform the supply of agricultural labor from a temporary response into a sustainable administrative system through this agreement with Mongolia.

On January 21, the city signed a "Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to Expand the Recruitment of Foreign Seasonal Workers in the Agricultural Sector" with Selenge Province and Uvurkhangai Province at the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry of Darkhan City, Mongolia, according to an announcement on January 22.

This agreement is part of Nonsan City's efforts to address the rural labor shortage as a structural crisis, and to establish a stable labor supply system by directly identifying and cooperating with overseas local governments.

Since introducing foreign seasonal workers through an agreement with Nalaikh District in Ulaanbaatar in 2022, the city has gradually expanded its overseas cooperation to minimize labor shortages during peak farming seasons.

The signing ceremony was attended by Baek Sung-hyun, Mayor of Nonsan City; Jambaltsereg, Deputy Vice Minister of Mongolia’s Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry; Nachgadorj Laghvadorj, Governor of Selenge Province; and Ochiryn Purevdorj, Governor of Uvurkhangai Province.

Mayor Baek stated, "Due to the aging rural population and declining demographics, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain agricultural operations with only domestic workers," emphasizing, "Foreign seasonal workers are not a choice, but an essential policy tool for sustaining agriculture."

He added, "This is a minimum institutional measure to alleviate the dual burden of labor shortages and rising labor costs, and to enable farming households to focus on their work in a stable manner."

Deputy Vice Minister Jambaltsereg said, "This agreement will provide Mongolian workers with legal and stable employment opportunities, while also serving as a practical step to strengthen agricultural cooperation between the two countries. We will spare no administrative support to ensure that excellent workers can be dispatched smoothly."

The demand for foreign seasonal workers in Nonsan is increasing rapidly. The number rose from 542 workers for 168 farming households in 2023, to 1,235 workers for 302 households in 2024, and to 1,576 workers for 403 households in 2025.

Under this agreement, Nonsan City will share its demand for foreign seasonal workers and major farming schedules with the Mongolian side in advance. Mongolia will then recruit, select, and provide pre-departure training for workers, who will be dispatched to Nonsan accordingly.

The seasonal workers who enter Korea will work at local farms in Nonsan for up to eight months, helping to resolve labor shortages during peak farming seasons. They will also have the opportunity to experience advanced agricultural systems in Nonsan, such as smart farming and intensive cultivation techniques, thereby improving their skills.

The city plans to use this exchange of personnel to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of local agriculture, and, in the long term, to establish an international cooperation model that leads to the overseas expansion of agricultural technology and products.

Meanwhile, from 2023 to 2025, a total of 258 Mongolian foreign seasonal workers entered Nonsan, and they were deployed to more than 7,600 farming households, providing substantial assistance to rural areas struggling with labor shortages during busy farming seasons.