Buyeo County in South Chungcheong Province has officially proposed to the government the establishment of an immigration office to address rural labor shortages. At the regular meeting of the Chungcheongnam-do Mayors and County Heads Association held at Dangjin City Hall on the 22nd, Deputy County Head Hong Eun-a stated, "The government is cracking down on undocumented foreigners during the peak agricultural season when labor shortages are severe. While maintaining strict immigration order is important, for farmers, this is a matter of survival." According to Deputy County Head Hong, Buyeo County is a major production area for cherry tomatoes and watermelons, with 37.3% of its population engaged in agriculture. The county reportedly needs approximately 100,000 agricultural workers annually but is experiencing difficulties in meeting this labor demand, thus relying on undocumented workers.