Korea’s shipbuilding hubs divided over surge in migrant workers

Cities home to Korea’s largest shipyards are seeing rising internal conflicts over the rising number of migrant workers. Although shipbuilders continue to cite severe labor shortages amid a surge in orders, local residents and labor unions say companies should pay more to attract Koreans and criticize the limited local spending by foreign workers. Geoje Mayor Byun Gwang-yong of South Gyeongsang Province asked Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon on Nov. 24 to reduce the visa quota for migrant workers, as the number of foreign residents on the island surpassed 15,000 as of October — more than triple the figure five years ago. Geoje is home to Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries. “The increase in foreign workers has not led to their integration or spending in the local economy,” Byun said. “By gradually reducing the visa quota, we aim to establish a stable labor structure centered on skilled Korean workers.” Elected in April as a candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, Byun has prioritized reducing the city’s reliance on migrant labor, while backing unionized KoreanWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times