Laos has asked South Korea’s Seongju County to raise age limits and expand seasonal farm work opportunities for older workers and married couples, while strengthening protections against extreme heat.
Lao Vice Minister of Labor and Social Welfare Phongxaysack Inthalath made the requests during a meeting with Jang Ik-bong, vice chairman of the Seongju County Council, and a county delegation in Vientiane on 12 October.
Seongju, in South Korea’s North Gyeongsang Province, is known for growing chamoe, a sweet yellow melon. The county signed a seasonal labor cooperation agreement with Laos in November 2023 and began receiving Lao workers in 2024.
The county received 153 Lao workers in 2024, 1,292 in 2025, and 1,333 in 2026, according to the Lao Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare. Most have experience in farming and livestock work.
Age and Work Conditions
Lao officials asked Seongju to raise the age limit to 45 for men and 40 for women and allocate more places for married couples.
The county mainly seeks male workers, limiting the number of Lao candidates who qualify, Phongxaysack said. Raising the age limits would expand the pool of eligible workers. More places for couples could also encourage men who prefer to travel with their wives to join the program.
Phongxaysack also urged Seongju to monitor working conditions more closely during South Korea’s summer, limit prolonged outdoor work, and take steps to prevent heatstroke.
He suggested that employers provide drinking water, portable fans, or cooling jackets with built-in fans.
South Korean media reported that temperatures in farming areas reached 38 to 42 degrees Celsius during an intense heatwave in July and August. The Korea Times reported that some migrant workers continued working in extreme heat despite workplace safety guidelines.
Most Lao Job Seekers Look Abroad
The talks come as Laos seeks to expand overseas employment. The country aims to send more than 17,000 workers to South Korea in 2026 under its seasonal work program.
Labor Minister Phosay Xayasone told the National Assembly on 7 October that 103,610 people had found formal jobs abroad in the first nine months of 2026, compared with about 16,000 who found work domestically.
Over the past decade, Laos has sent a total of 708,000 citizens abroad, nearly all to Thailand. Low wages and rising living costs have driven many to seek higher-paying jobs overseas, while their remittances provide a source of foreign currency.
