Foreign Workers
The Ministry of Oceans & Fisheries of South Korea announced on January 3 that approximately 2,600 foreign workers are expected to find their jobs in the country this year in salt production, aquaculture, fisheries based on 20-ton and smaller fishing boats, and the like via work permit, which allows foreign workers to be hired in South Korea in the fields that suffer the lack of workers.
The ministry also explained that systems will be improved a lot this year with regard to bringing foreign workers into the local fishing industry, selecting and training them and managing their labor. First of all, the opportunity of their entrance into South Korea is expanded from twice a year (January and April) to four times a year (January, April, July and October). During work permit screening, those experienced in fisheries and fisheries school graduates are to be given priority and practical training is to be added to local training for employment for job skill improvement.
In addition, a standard labor contract is to be prepared so that foreign workers in the fishing industry are not tempted to leave it. The contract is to specify working conditions such as holidays and daily working hours. Investigations into wage payment delay, physical assault and so on are to be launched as well.
At the same time, safety management education and that for preventing physical assault against employees will be provided for employers in the industry while five centers are set up in different regions to provide assistance for the migrant workers.