Officials and researchers attend the final presentation of a commissioned study on immigration policy development at the South Jeolla provincial government office on Wednesday. (South Jeolla Provincial Government Office)
South Jeolla Province is reviewing research on how to shape a localized immigration framework after a new study found that migrant workers are essential to its economy, yet face obstacles that make long-term settlement in the region difficult.
A comprehensive study commissioned by the provincial government lays out these challenges and proposes a new “Jeonnam-style immigration model” to address them. The report, announced Wednesday, was conducted by the IOM Migration Research and Training Centre and the Jeonnam Research Institute. Researchers surveyed 1,300 foreign residents and 707 employers in the province earlier this year.
The clearest finding is that 88 percent of non-professional migrant workers intend to remain in South Korea, yet only 62.7 percent plan to stay in South Jeolla Province. That gap highlights how difficult it is for the province, one of Korea’s most rural and aging regions, to keep the workers it depends on.
Average pay is a key factor. The survey found that foreign national residents in South Jeolla earned 2.48 million won ($1,760) per month on average. Non-professional E-9 visa holders earned 2.53 million won, while settled migrants with long-term residency averaged 3.48 million won.
In comparison, monthly earnings for visiting foreign workers averaged 2.68 million won in North Chungcheong Province, and 2.65 million won in North Gyeongsang Province, leaving South Jeolla lower by about 200,000 to 230,000 won.
Language remains a major barrier for foreign nationals in South Jeolla Province. On a four-point scale, average Korean proficiency among foreign residents was 2.95, slightly below the national average. E-9 workers scored only 2.03. The consequences are tangible: about 21.7 percent of migrants said they had avoided medical treatment because of communication difficulties. More than half who did seek care cited hospitals as their hardest environment to navigate.
Employers say hiring migrants is essential, yet painfully complex
Employers in South Jeolla Province, meanwhile, described a different set of frustrations. Agriculture and fisheries businesses reported that 98.6 percent of their workforce comes from abroad. In other industries, 90.5 percent of firms said they rely on foreign staff.
Some employers also admitted they preferred migrant workers because overtime requests were easier and labor management less complicated than with local staff.
Yet businesses said the hiring process was too slow and complex. Simplification was the top demand, raised by 69.3 percent of general businesses and 71.2 percent of agricultural operators. Many also cited communication problems and the high cost of brokers. Despite the temporary nature of many visas, most employers said they wanted long-term and skilled workers.
The report proposes a set of measures under a “Jeonnam-style” model. These include regional visa schemes, family-inclusive settlement programs, and designated settlement zones that combine housing, administrative and community support.
A “Relay Seasonal Work System” would rotate workers between farms with different harvest cycles, providing steady employment for workers and reliable labor for farmers.
Another plan would use South Korea’s Official Development Assistance to fund vocational training in sending countries before recruitment into Jeonnam’s industries.
Civil society groups argue that labor protections must accompany these reforms. “Migrant workers come here chasing the so-called Korean Dream,” said Son Sang-yong of the South Jeolla Province Migrant Workers Network. “But when that dream ends in industrial accidents or unpaid wages, it becomes a nightmare. This report must not sit on a shelf. It should drive policy change.”
South Jeolla Province’s foreign resident population has more than doubled in a decade, rising from 26,697 in 2013 to over 61,000 in 2024, according to the Jeonnam Research Institute. More than half are on work visas, with Vietnam, Indonesia and ethnic Korean Chinese communities the largest groups.
mjh@heraldcorp.com