The Gyeonggi-do government plans to build welfare center for foreign workers in order to improve their living conditions and accommodations. A welfare center in Namyangju called, ‘Shalom House’ (Seungsang Industrial Complex, Hwado Eup) has been open since October last year and two more centers will each open in Siheung (Oct.)•Suwon (Dec.) this year. Six more welfare centers for foreign workers will open in 2007, in Ansan (Jun.), Bucheon, Hwasung and other locations.

Public welfare centers for foreign workers will provide a diversity of services such as Korean language education child birth and nursery support human rights improvement labor law counsel medical support resting place and other services.

Other than welfare centers, the provincial government plans to arrange a management department exclusively for planning, coordinating and enforcing administration support services for foreign workers within the government building until July this year. Service items will be surveyed among foreign workers to assign and support preferential services first.

Preferential service projects include Korean language education fire prevention and emergency system child birth and nursery support medical support human rights improvement narrowing cultural differences and adaptation programs repatriation support to prevent illegal sojourn foreign worker support in agricultural industry and more.

(c) Weekly Gyeonggi | Choi, Gyeongwon happyworry81@kg21.net