Jeonnam-Gwangju revises migrant worker ordinance to cover all, regardless of status
In short
Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City has revised its migrant worker support ordinance to remove limits based on residency status, so undocumented migrant workers can also be covered. The city said it changed the draft after civic and labour groups objected that the merged ordinance narrowed support compared with the old Gwangju ordinance. The revised ordinance has been sent to the city council for review and final approval.
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Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City has revised its migrant worker protection and support ordinance so that support is no longer tied to residency status, according to both Yonhap and Kyunghyang Shinmun. The revised text defines a migrant worker as a person who provides or intends to provide labour for wages at a business or workplace in the Jeonnam-Gwangju area, regardless of legal status, meaning undocumented migrant workers can be included among those protected and supported. [ 1 , 2 ]
The city's earlier draft, issued for legislative notice on August 13, limited support to foreign workers under the Foreign Workers Employment Act and to holders of specific statuses such as short-term employment (C-4) and seasonal work (E-8). Yonhap reported that critics said the merged ordinance narrowed the support range compared with the old Gwangju ordinance, which covered migrant workers at local workplaces without regard to residency status. [ 1 , 2 ]
On August 27, about 40 civic and labour groups, including the Gwangju-Jeonnam Migrant Workers Human Rights Network, held a press conference and asked the city to reconsider, arguing that excluding undocumented migrant workers would ignore conditions in farming, fishing and industrial sites and create a blind spot for human rights. The Gwangju-Jeonnam Migrant Workers Human Rights Network and the Jeonnam Labour Rights Centre also submitted the view that all migrant workers should be supported regardless of legal status, Kyunghyang Shinmun reported. [ 1 , 2 ]
The city said it reviewed the opinions filed during the legislative notice period and revised the ordinance in the direction of removing residency-status restrictions, adding that medical and health welfare support for migrant workers was included in the support projects. Yonhap reported that a companion ordinance on foreign residents now specifies the operation of free clinics for foreign residents as one form of public health and medical support. [ 1 ]
The revised ordinance is to be finalised after deliberation by the city council, according to Yonhap. Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that the city submitted the revised ordinance, titled using the term “migrant worker” rather than “foreign worker,” to the city council. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The ordinance is one of the first pieces of legislation for the newly merged Jeonnam-Gwangju city, so how it treats undocumented workers sets a template for local welfare and labour policy in the region. Because the city responded to objections raised during the legislative notice period, the case also illustrates how public comment can change local rules affecting migrant labour in farming, fishing and industry.
Key facts
- Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City revised its migrant worker protection and support ordinance to remove limits on support targets based on residency status. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The revised ordinance defines a migrant worker as a person who provides or intends to provide labour for wages at a business or workplace in the Jeonnam-Gwangju area, regardless of legal status. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The city first issued a legislative notice of the merged ordinance on August 13. [ 1 ]
- About 40 civic and labour groups held a press conference on August 27 asking the city to reconsider the ordinance. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The city said it reviewed opinions submitted during the legislative notice period and removed the residency-status restriction. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The revised ordinance adds medical and health welfare support for migrant workers, and a companion ordinance on foreign residents specifies the operation of free clinics for foreign residents. [ 1 ]
- The revised ordinance is to be finalised after deliberation by the city council. [ 1 , 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The city removed residency-status restrictions from the draft ordinance and broadened the definition of migrant workers. [ 1 , 2 ]
- About 40 civic and labour groups publicly demanded a rethink of the ordinance on August 27. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The city said it revised the ordinance after reviewing opinions received during the legislative notice period. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The city's earlier draft restricted support to people with specific employment-related residency statuses. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the city council will pass the revised ordinance in its current form. Both documents say final approval depends on city council deliberation and no decision has been reported.
- The exact scope of the medical and health welfare projects, including the free clinics for foreign residents. Only one document states these details and no budget or implementation schedule is given.
- Whether the city's old Gwangju ordinance covered undocumented workers in practice. One document states the previous ordinance did not distinguish by residency status, but no figures or enforcement record is provided.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- August 13, 2026: Jeonnam-Gwangju issues a legislative notice for the merged ordinance, which ties support to specific residency statuses. [ 1 ]
- August 27, 2026: About 40 civic and labour groups hold a press conference calling for the ordinance to be reconsidered. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Yonhap reports the city has revised the ordinance to remove the residency-status restriction. [ 1 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reports the revised ordinance has been submitted to the city council. [ 2 ]