Busan is good

Gov't holds nationwide living assistance programs for expats

Contents

Job hunting, domestic violence, visa issues and complicated legal matters. These are some typical difficulties people living outside their home countries cannot avoid. Language barriers and cultural differences also make it hard for them to adjust to life in a foreign country.

 

Considering such difficulties, from Oct. 17 to Nov. 2, government officers from six ministries -- the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Ministry of Public Administration and Security, Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs, Ministry of Gender Equality and Ministry of Labor -- are collaborating to help expatriates better settle down in Korea and offer medical treatments and legal consultations to solve the difficulties non-Koreans face when living here. 

 

Along with these government officers, doctors and lawyers will also participate in a 16-day long counseling event to provide legal advice and medical treatment to be held in Seoul, Busan and 12 other areas countrywide.

 

The Korean Bar Association, Korean Medical Association, Korean Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, the Seoul Medical Association and Korea Association of Health Promotion will provide free medical treatment and legal consultations during the event.

 

To assist in communication, 120 interpreters in six languages -- English, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai and Mongolian -- will be placed at the counseling booths where 200 government officers are to provide advice on various matters, including job hunting, immigration, Korean language and culture education, domestic violence, sexual harassment, divorce or other women's issues for female immigrants.

 

The Korea Association of Health Promotion and local hospitals are taking part in the weekend events that will be held nationwide. The participating government ministries are also providing free guidebooks and leaflets on matters such as cultural education, legal matters, immigration, labor issues and so on to help expatriates settle in.

 

The first part of the program was held in Seoul on Oct. 18 and 19 at Guro-gu district office. More than 60 medical service workers, including 19 doctors and 25 volunteers from Seoul Medical Association provided free medical assistance for 200 visitors, including industrial accident victims, while pharmaceutical companies offered medicines for colds and skin problems, and pain killers to a value of 10 million won to provide help for people including overseas students, migrant workers and marriage immigrants.

 

At the event at Guro-gu district office in Seoul on Oct. 18 and 19, the six ministries handled 180 matters and provided detailed assistance, according to the Seoul Immigration Office. Of the 180 counseling cases, 58 legal issues regarding immigration, nationality and inviting family members and relatives from overseas topped the counseling list, followed by 44 labor issues related to job hunting and wage-related matters.

 

Eight volunteer interpreters from the Seoul Immigration Office also participated in the two-day counseling service program iin Seoul to provide language help in five languages -- English, Chinese, Mongolian, Fillipino and Russian. 

 

The following is the timetable for the counseling events:

Seoul

Oct. 18 (Sat) & 19 (Sun) Guro-gu district office

Busan

Oct. 24 (Fri) & 25 (Sat) Gimhae Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tel: 055-337-6001/6004

Incheon

Oct. 25 (Sat) Ansan Immigrant Center Tel: 031-492-8785

Oct. 26 (Sun) Incheon Women's Center Tel: 032-425-1372

Suwon

Oct. 31 (Fri) & Nov.1 (Sat.) Suwon Sports Cultural Center Tel: 031-240-2706

Jejudo

Oct. 24 (Fri) & 25 (Sat) Jeju Special Self Governing Province Office Tel: 064-728-2114

Daegu

Oct. 31 (Fri) & Nov.1 (Sat.) Daegu Immigration Office Tel: 053-980-3580

Daejeon

Oct. 24 (Fri) & 25 (Sat) Woosong University Tel: 042-630-9600

Yeosu

Oct. 24 (Fri) & 25 (Sat) Yeosu Immigration Office Tel: 061-684-6974~6

Masan

Oct. 24 (Fri) & 25 (Sat) Changwon National University Tel: 065-213-2114

Jeonju

Oct. 24 (Fri) & 25 (Sat) Woosuk University Tel: 063-290-1114

Cheongju

Oct. 24 (Fri) & 25 (Sat) Chungcheongbuk-do Provincial Office Tel: 043-220-2114

 

The source of news : Korea.net  October 20, 2008