Nearly 17,000 foreign seasonal workers will be added in the second half of this year. Shown are farmers and laborers from abroad on June 30 harvesting potatoes at a field in the township of Gangdong-myeon in Gangneung, Gangwon-do Province. (Yonhap News)

By Aisylu Akhmetzianova

To alleviate resolve chronic labor shortages in farming and fishing villages, 16,915 foreign seasonal workers will be added in the second half of the year.

Thus the annual allocation of such workers this year is 117,113, or 21,517 more from 95,596 last year.

The Ministry of Justice on July 1 said the decision was made the day before at a meeting of its seasonal worker policy council.

Of the 16,915 additional laborers, 14,926 will be sent to 74 cities and counties and the remaining 1,989 will remain on standby should unexpected demand arise. By sector, 11,070 will be deployed for agriculture and 3,856 for fishing.

The meeting also decided on improving working conditions and the overall system to protect the rights and interests of such workers.

The ministry mandated under labor law a standard employment contract to clarify terms such as wages, working hours and break times. It also prohibited accommodations for such workers in areas with severe noise, odors or vibrations as well as those at risk of disaster like flooding or landslides.

The workers will get assistance in settling in the country immediately upon arrival, and the registration process for those returning to the country will be greatly simplified.

Minister of Justice Jung Sung-ho said, "We will raise cooperation with relevant ministries and local governments to improve the system by expanding the labor supply as well as improving housing conditions for seasonal workers, preventing nonpayment of wages and blocking intervention by brokers."

aisylu@korea.kr