Vietnamese labourers at Inceon airport of the RoK(Photo: VNA) The workshop, one among a series of the events to celebrate the30th anniversary of the establishment of the two countries’ diplomaticrelations, aimed to review the activities to bring Vietnamese workers to theRoK over the past 30 years, assess the support for these guest workers, and proposesolutions to improve the efficiency of this work.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Nguyen Vu Tungstated that labour cooperation has over thepast 30 years continuously developed, bringingeconomic benefits to the two countries’ peoples and businesses.
Along with the significant increase in the number ofVietnamese workers in the RoK, the consultancy and support are also carried outsystematically and effectively, he said, adding that the embassy alwaysaccompanies and coordinates with labour support centres to find solutions toenhance the supply of information, advice and support for employees in asubstantive, effective and comprehensive way.
Ta Thi Thanh Thuy, head of the Labour Management Board inthe RoK, reviewed the nearly-30-year cooperation in labour, employment andsocial welfare between Vietnam and the RoK.
In 2004, the two countries signed an agreement onreceiving Vietnamese guest workers in the RoK following the Employment Permit System (EPS) Programme and todate, around 130,000 Vietnamese labourers have worked in the East Asian nationunder this programme.
The Labour Management Board has actively coordinated with Koreanauthorities to well implement the agreements between the two governments, and givenadvice to solve arising problems to ensure the best interests of employees. Ithas also worked with relevant units, especially the network of Korean centresproviding support for foreign workers, to consult and provide practicalinformation and support for labourers during their time of living and workingin the country.
The Republic of Korea’s guidance and new regulations have been promptlyprovided to Vietnamese labourers through various channels. The board also setup a hotline to provide timely consultancy and assistance for them when theCOVID-19 pandemic broke out.
At the workshop, representatives of the Korea SupportCentres for Foreign Workers discussed about consultancy for employees, commonissues related to salary, salary debt, work changes, and insurance forthem. They also focused on the receipt of pensioninsurance for employees and the issuance of the identity card for foreigners insome special cases. Officials of the Korea National Pension Service and the KoreaImmigration Service also answered related questions.
This was the first workshop that attracted most of the KoreaSupport Centres for Foreign Workers to attend and share information, and also an opportunity for centres to share their operational models to supportforeign workers living and working in the East Asian nation, therebycontributing to improving the efficiency of supporting Vietnamese guest workersthere.
In mid-August, a meeting was held in the RoK, offering avenue for Vietnamese labourers who are working in the country within the EPSprogramme to raise questions relating to their rights, interests andobligations.
This was the first in-person legal consultation for theVietnamese employees after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
About 205,000 Vietnamese are living, working and studying inthe RoK, of whom 27,000 have arrived under the EPS.
The Republic of Korea and Vietnam signed a memorandum of understanding on the Employment Permit System programme in 1993/.
VNA
