South Korean municipalities expand foreign seasonal worker support

South Korean local governments are implementing various measures to manage the rapidly increasing number of foreign seasonal workers essential to the agricultural sector. In Seongju County, Mayor Jeon Hwa-sik has proposed amendments to the Agricultural Land Act to allow 'rural stay shelters' to be used as temporary housing, addressing the difficulty farmers face in meeting strict new accommodation standards.

In Yeoju City, authorities are focusing on worker safety and welfare, providing heatwave prevention supplies and conducting employer training. However, the recent death of a worker from Laos has highlighted the challenges of managing large numbers of workers with limited administrative staff. Meanwhile, Yangju City and Yeongdong County are conducting demand surveys for 2027 to plan future labor allocations. Yeongdong County has also increased its internal limit for seasonal workers per farm from four to six to combat chronic labor shortages and is offering support for remodeling dedicated worker housing.