The entire budget of 44 foreign worker support centers across the country is cut... they will close on December 31.

The National Assembly, which deliberates the Korean government's budget, processed next year's budget on December 21. The sad news is that, as already announced, the private budget for the Foreign Worker Support Center has been completely cut. Accordingly, 44 foreign worker support centers across the country (9 bases, 35 sub-regions) will be closed starting next year.

What the Foreign Worker Support Center has done so far

The Foreign Worker Support Center helped foreign workers solve various problems they encountered while working or staying in the country.

We provided comprehensive stay support services, including labor counseling on non-payment of wages, four major insurance policies, and human rights violations, Korean translation, living law counseling, informatization education, and provision of a rest area. It also served as a local community where foreign workers from various countries gathered. If the Foreign Worker Support Center disappears from next year, there will be no place that can fulfill this role.

Where do foreign workers get help now?

So where can foreign workers get help starting next year? The Korean government announced that it would provide services directly through the local employment and labor offices of the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Human Resources Development Service of Korea for projects that had been operated through private outsourcing. The Ministry of Employment and Labor's position is that “we will prepare a multifaceted plan to provide high-quality support services,” but nothing specific has been made public. Therefore, foreign workers need to remember in advance the immigration support organizations in the area where they live. Papaya Story will update the list of immigrant support organizations through ‘Free Services and Organization Information’.

Will government agencies stand up for migrant workers?

The reason why the Foreign Worker Support Center has become popular among foreign workers is because it provides help from their perspective on any content. However, when government agencies such as local employment and labor offices and the Human Resources Development Service of Korea do the same thing, will they really take the side of foreign workers?

Ahn Dae-hwan, CEO of the Korea Migrant Labor Foundation, said this in an interview with a media outlet. “The Ministry of Employment and Labor’s direct implementation method is realistically impossible. Even now, employees of the Ministry of Employment and Labor are spending three to four months processing related complaints, telling foreign workers who complain of harm to their employers to ‘go to court or the police and prove it yourself.’ In this situation, even if the government spends a huge amount of money to secure manpower, it cannot handle all (complaints from foreign workers).”

Foreign workers find it difficult to receive help, their worries only grow

With the abolition of the Foreign Worker Support Center, foreign residents living in Korea experienced great inconvenience and difficulty. In particular, it is expected that the difficulties experienced by foreign residents will be very great in labor and legal issues. This is because migrant workers who are not familiar with the domestic situation are unable to respond properly if they have to file a complaint or report. In particular, undocumented foreign workers risk being caught and cannot receive help from government agencies.

As the new year approaches, many people's worries are growing!

Mary Eve of Papaya Story