This study aimed to formulate a plan to expand and fortify supporting services for foreign workers related to the Employment and Sojourn Supporting Services.
Korea Society has already approached a multi-cultural society and the population of foreigne...
This study aimed to formulate a plan to expand and fortify supporting services for foreign workers related to the Employment and Sojourn Supporting Services.
Korea Society has already approached a multi-cultural society and the population of foreigners staying in Korea per a year is over a million which occupies 2.4% of the total population of Korea.
EPS(Employment Permit System) internationally has relaxed the oversupply of regional work force from mainly developing countries and has been the stimulus to promote the migration of work force to the outside of workers' countries with the purpose to secure job opportunities for individuals and inflows of foreign currencies. Nationally, Foreign workers have flown into Korea through selection for some parts of industries which were not able to meet demands of the small and medium companies requiring greater number of unskilled workers with only domestic work force due to the shortage of workers.
Under the era of globalization and openness, the new social class formed of foreign workers has been created even in this homogeneous society.
Foreign workers which are mostly the unskilled laborer have been earnestly inducted into Korea through the Industrial Trainee System since Korea began the economic cooperation in early 1990's. However, as the Industrial Trainee System caused a lot of social problems such as intervention of brokers, wage exploitation and human rights issues, the Foreigner Employment Act which is focused to allow legally the employment of foreign workers was legislated and announced to accept the Employment Permit System since 2003. After the Industrial Trainee System was abolished at 2007, the inflow of foreign workers around such industries so called 3D(dirty, dangerous, difficult) job are rapidly increasing up to recently.
Foreigners are the subjective of dignity, privilege and right to pursue one's happiness as human beings irrespective of the possession of Korean nationality according to the Constitution of the Republic of Korea. It also prescribes the right to work for foreign workers equally with Korea citizens stating 'The standard of working conditions is regulated by law to secure human dignity'. It is implied that the National Labor Relations Act consists of the Labor Standard Act, the Minimum Wage Act and the Industry Health and Safety Act is applied to foreign workers, equally as Korean citizens.
Considering social welfare system, however, it is said that foreign workers are still outside of social system. The Framework Act on Social Security has a possibility, in principle, not to apply Social Security System to foreigners as the law says 'The application of the Social Security System to foreign residents is according to the related acts in consideration of reciprocity'. The reality is that 4 social insurances are discriminately applied to foreign workers upon their legal positions and national origins. Therefore, it is necessary to conclude the international agreement for mutual Social Security and continuously expand the agreements. Particularly, the support should be made in the way to standardize the medical treatment from a medical institution which is authorized by the social system for the foreign workers who are mostly working in 3D jobs.
Looking over the systemic aspect, it needs to unify the procedure which is separated into several government departments and private organizations within one responsible public organization. Because it causes conflicts, duplications and absence of work according to the interest of the related organizations.
It is also important to arrange the supporting system to meet the requirement for every step in time from entry and employment to return, reinforcing every phase of Employment and Sojourn Support. This shall minimize illegal immigrants to bring national interest. Besides, returning Support Program which prompts foreign workers to return home countries voluntarily should be diversified to prevent illegal immigrants.
Lastly, to seek a shock-absorbing device which can minimize culture shock, it is highly recommended to open programs which recognize the cultural diversity for social integration for foreign workers such as opening Korean Speaking Competition to stimulate to learn Korean, suppling physical directors who are able to communicate with them and ensuring sports activities, giving them experiences of Korean conventional market with traditional culture and appointing one day teacher for elementary or middle school students in the review on the social-cultural aspect.
The significance of this study is to make an approach to strengthening Employment and Sojourn Supporting Service, expanding it from Social Security System for foreign workers to gradual returning process with consideration of social integration aspect.
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