Province to Offer Full-fledged Free Legal Counseling for Foreign Residents
(2012.01.11)

Sixteen Interpreters and Legal Counselors Appointed on January 11
Counseling for Back Pay, Industrial Accidents and Legal Aid in Civil and Criminal Cases

◇ Governor Kim Moon-soo and foreign interpreters pose for a photo at the inauguration ceremony for legal counselors and foreigner interpreters held at the Office of the Governor on January 11. The counselors will offer free legal aid in foreign languages with the assistance of the interpreters. ⓒ G-News Plus

Gyeonggi Province has appointed foreign interpreters to help foreign residents to receive free legal aid more easily, and has begun offering full-fledged legal aid to foreigner residents.ⓒ G-News Plus

The province held an inauguration ceremony for foreign interpreters and the new legal counselors at the Office of the Governor on January 11, and presented them with certificates of appointment.

Six interpreters were appointed on the day including Seo Jeong(China), Lusiael Sophia(Philippines), Kim Su-hyeon(Mongolia), Lee Hye-su(Vietnam), Okuda Tomoko(Japan) and Patcharin Jannoi (Thailand). They will help the legal counselors deal with a variety of legal issues including civil and criminal cases, domestic and administrative litigation, back pay and industrial accidents.

Park Gyeong-sun of the Legal Affairs Division said, “The reality is that foreign residents find it difficult to access legal aid because of the language barrier, cultural differences and economic difficulties.” “The foreign interpreters are expected to help improve foreign residents’human rights and protect their legal rights.

In July 2010 the province began offering free lawsuit support services to people in low-income brackets and underprivileged families, providing free lawsuit support in 16 cases up until January 2012. Each month, the province offers the free legal counseling service for 450 cases on average. At present, foreign residents registered in the province account for 3.2% of the population, or 380,000 people, and about 30% of the foreign residents in the entire country.

Free legal counseling for foreign residents is available at the Free Legal Counseling Room at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complex on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For further details, please call +82-31-8008-2438.

ⓒG-News PlusSon Rak-hun kuni1202@naver.com

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