Changnyeong, Gyeongnam Province – Changnyeong County announced on January 25th that over 650 foreign seasonal workers will be lending a hand to local farms this year.

The first batch of 234 workers is scheduled to arrive between late February and late April. These workers, primarily from Laos (190), Cambodia (20), and the Philippines (20), will be coming to Changnyeong under agreements signed between the county and their respective governments.

These workers will be employed for 5 to 8 months, working in various areas of Changnyeong, including Gilgok-myeon, harvesting crops such as peppers, cucumbers, onions, and garlic. Each farm will be able to employ between one and four workers.

In the second half of the year, an additional 420 seasonal workers are expected to arrive, including 200 under bilateral agreements and 220 family members of marriage migrants.

The number of foreign seasonal workers in Changnyeong has been steadily increasing since the program's inception. In 2022, 162 workers came to the county, followed by 336 in 2023 and 541 last year.

"Workers from countries like Laos, who come under bilateral agreements, are preferred by farmers due to their relatively low wages and sincere work ethic," said a county official. "They have been a great help to local farms."

To facilitate communication between foreign workers and farmers, the county has established a system that includes video call support with Laotian interpreters and phone call support with Cambodian interpreters. Additionally, hundreds of family members and cousins of marriage migrants are expected to arrive individually to further alleviate the labor shortage in local farms.

Changnyeong County Magistrate Seong Nak-in said, "Foreign seasonal workers who come under bilateral agreements are a great help to local farms. We will do our best to ensure that both farmers and seasonal workers can benefit from this program."