11 centers offer help to foreigners in Gyeonggi

Legal counsel available in six languages

The Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency said on October 25 that it has opened eight more centers to protect foreigners’ rights. Gyeonggi Province has operated three model programs at police stations in Ansan, Siheung, and Namyangju.

The eight centers have been established within police stations in Suwon, Yangju, Pyeongtaek, Hwaseong, Yongin, Gwangju, Pocheon, and Gimpo, where the number of foreign residents is estimated to be over 10,000. At the centers, foreign residents can receive consultation for collecting damages related to crime, as well as for the delayed payment of wages. They also can receive legal support in six languages: Korean, English, Chinese, Bengali, Indonesian, and Vietnamese.

About 10 experts work at each center, and they also perform outcalls to places of work that hire foreigners in order to provide counsel.

According to Gyeonggi police authorities, the three model centers that have been in operation since June 8 have provided 30-40 consultations each.