‘Foreigners’ No. 1 worry work-related’

Seoul Metropolitan Government said Friday that foreign residents’ biggest concerns appear to be work-related problems such as delayed payment, salary and health insurance.

Of more than 3,500 foreign residents who received counseling from the city provided at stations, schools and community centers, around 60 percent were most worried about problems at work. The city has provided counseling since January to foreign workers to help them better adjust.

Another 30 percent said their biggest concerns surrounded welfare and health issues such as getting medical services, followed by issues associated with immigration and education.

The metropolitan government has been running the counseling program every Sunday, where attorneys give consultations on law, employment and tax.

The city started the program in 2009 to help foreign residents, immigrant workers and multicultural families overcome difficulties while living in Seoul.

The metropolitan government said counselors will visit colleges and universities from August to give assistance to foreign students in immigration, rental housing, employment and education.

Last year, the city dealt with 11,690 counseling cases. The most worrying issues that foreigners had were about labor insurance, pension, health and wages.

Aside from the on-site counseling service, there are 23 centers for multicultural families in the city that provide assistance in child education and relationship counseling among family members.

District offices also offer similar programs.

Geumcheon-gu in southern Seoul, for instance, gives free medical examinations for foreigners every Saturday at its public health center.

Mapo-gu in western Seoul will also provide medical checks to 200 immigrant workers and members of multicultural family for free from July 8.

Statistics Korea data show that nearly 280,000 foreigners live in Seoul as of 2011.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)