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Busan City Opens the Busan Support Center for Foreign Workers

2024-06-10 207  Views
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부산외국인근로자지원센터 Busan Support Center for Foreign Workers  

Busan City Opens the Busan Support Center for Foreign Workers

□ Busan City announced that it has opened the Busan Support Center for Foreign Workers (BSCFW) on the first basement level of the Busan Workers’ Welfare Center (86, Yeonsu-ro, Yeonje-gu).


□ The BSCFW is an organization set up to systematically support foreign workers in Busan. Its establishment is the result of winning a contest organized by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) in February 2024 for a local settlement support project for foreign workers.

○ Due to the low-birth rate and population decline, the number of foreigners and foreign sojourners entering the country has increased. This has led to deteriorating labor force shortages at local industrial sites. As a result, foreign workers have become a key human resource in the Busan region. The MOEL is therefore promoting the local settlement support project for foreign workers by encouraging local governments to assist their stable settlement in the Busan region.

○ As the foreign workforce is projected to grow in response to the government’s foreign workforce introduction expansion policy and as the administrative demand for foreign workers diversifies, the need for an organization to take charge of foreign workers is clearer every day.


□ The Busan Regional Office of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) is charged with the operation of the BSCFW. Through an investment of 400 million KRW (200 million KRW: government expenditure, 200 million KRW: Busan City expenditure), programs such as specialized labor relations consultations to help foreign workers’ long-term stay and to promote harmony with communities, Korean language and industrial safety education, and mentoring are available.

○ Specifically, the following programs are currently being promoted: specialized consultation and interpretation support, including labor and employment permission systems; Korean education by language level; digitalization education to support communication with the foreign workers’ home countries; industrial and daily life safety training for safe labor and everyday life; health enhancement education to offer mental health assistance to foreign workers engaged in the 3D industries (difficult, dangerous, dirty); a mentor-bridging program to help foreign workers’ adapt to local areas with the help of mentors such as local residents, workplace colleagues, or long-term foreign residents; and Korean culture hands-on experiences and free health examination programs.

○ Although the Busan Foreign Residents Center and the Busan Global Center offer such services as consultations and Korean education, foreign workers have voiced difficulties in using those facilities due to accessibility issues at their workplaces. The opening of the BSCFW should allow more foreign workers to receive more practical support through the center’s visit-consultations and Korean education services.


□ The operating days of the BSCFW are Sunday through Thursday, and the business hours are 9 am to 6 pm. The center is closed Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays. However, education programs are offered on Saturdays for the smooth operation of the language courses.

○ The Korean and digitalization courses run on Sundays, while the industrial safety, daily life settlement, and health enhancement programs run on Saturdays.


□ Any foreign worker with an E-9 or H-2 visa can participate in the programs operated by the BSCFW. Foreign workers can call 051-868-7606 (Tel) to make inquiries, enroll in the programs, or book consultations.


□ The opening ceremony of the BSCFW was held in the Center at 11:00 on May 22.


□ The Mayor of Busan, Park Heong-joon, said, “The various support programs at the Center can meet the diverse demands of foreign workers living in Busan.” He added, “We will make Busan a true global hub city by practically promoting various services for foreign workers’ rights and interests.”


Overview of the Busan Support Center for Foreign Workers

○ Name: Busan Support Center for Foreign Workers (operated by the Busan Regional Office of FKTU)

○ Address: 86, Yeonsu-ro, Yeonje-gu, Busan / first basement level of the Busan Workers’ Welfare Center

○ Main facilities: consultation rooms, lounge, intensive consultation room, digitalization lecture room

‣ Facilities within the welfare center: auditorium on the third floor and lecture rooms on the fourth floor

○ Operating days and business hours: Sunday – Thursday (9 am to 6 pm)

※ Closed Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays

※ Education programs other than Korean and digitalization education run on Saturdays (Job rotation system is established).

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