The government and a group of lawyers plans to expand a free legal counseling service ― so far limited to Korean citizens ― to foreign residents from this week, officials said Sunday.

The Justice Ministry and Korea Bar Association said they would run the neighborhood lawyer service for foreigners as a trial project from Monday. The service will be launched first in 10 communities in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province with large foreign populations. This includes Daerim-dong, Gwanghee-dong and Hyehwa-dong in Seoul and Seonbu-dong in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province.

Introduced in June, the neighborhood lawyer service offers free legal counseling in remote areas. The service, available by phone, fax and online, has been limited to Korean nationals. A total of 57 lawyers will participate in the trial service, the ministry said. Before applying for the service, reservations must be made through the ministry’s call center at 1345. Twenty languages are available at the call center.

As of last year, about 12,000 foreign laborers filed petitions to reclaim overdue wages. The number of foreign nationals involved in domestic lawsuits reached 6,300 in 2013, the ministry said.

(rene@heraldcorp.com)