Seoul considers expanding foreign helper program to include more nations: mayor
 

The Seoul city government is considering expanding its newly launched foreign home helper program to include more sending nations and offer more varied services, such as live-in helpers, Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Tuesday.

Last month, 100 Philippine workers began offering home chore services in Seoul as part of the inaugural phase of the city's foreign helper program, aimed at reducing household child care and homemaking burdens.

"The city needs to consider what is suitable for our conditions by diversifying the program, including adding live-in services like those in Hong Kong or Singapore, or picking Cambodia and other Southeast Asian nations (as sending countries)," Oh said during a parliamentary audit session.

"We will announce the results as soon as consultations with the labor ministry are completed," he said.

Currently, all foreign helpers are from the Philippines and commute to host homes from dormitories, with their services limited to child care and related home chores.

"The program began with child care services, but we may face a care service shortage in the future ... the city will seriously consider the possibility of expanding the program to the broader care labor (industry)," he said.

Source : https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20241015005500315?section=national/national

Comprehension

What is the primary goal of Seoul’s foreign home helper program?
How many Philippine workers were part of the initial phase of the program?
What additional services is the Seoul city government considering adding to the foreign home helper program?
Which Southeast Asian countries, besides the Philippines, are being considered as potential sources of foreign home helpers?
What is the current living arrangement for the foreign helpers involved in the program?
How does Mayor Oh Se-hoon compare Seoul’s foreign home helper program with those in places like Hong Kong or Singapore?
What sector might the foreign helper program expand into in the future, according to Mayor Oh?
What is the next step before any changes or expansions to the program are announced?

Discussion

If your family needed help, would you prefer hiring a local or a foreign helper?
Would you feel comfortable having a live-in helper at home? Why or why not?
What are some benefits of having helpers from different cultures?
If your family needed help, what kind of services would you like the most?
How would having someone live in your home affect your daily life?
Do you think it would be hard to communicate if the helper doesn’t speak your language?
In your opinion, how important is it to have government oversight in managing foreign labor programs like this one?
Should the program be expanded to other cities in South Korea?
Do you think hiring foreign workers might affect job opportunities for local people?
How can the city ensure that foreign workers’ rights are protected while also meeting the needs of families? How would you feel if you heard that workers weren’t treated well in this program?

Vocabulary

Inaugural – Marking the beginning of an important event or process.
Diversify – To make something more varied or diverse.
Consultation – A discussion aimed at reaching an agreement or decision.
Host – A person or entity that receives or accommodates someone.
Commute – To travel regularly between one's home and place of work.
Dormitory – A large building providing sleeping accommodations for workers or students.
Shortage – A situation in which something is insufficient or lacking.
Expansion – The action of becoming larger or more extensive.