The Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Ministry of Employment and Labour (MoEL) said on May 15 that it would re-sign the normal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to resume the reception of Vietnamese labourers to work in the RoK under the Employment Permit System in 2017.

The MoEL suspended the MoU in 2012 due to the high rate of illegal Vietnamese workers in the RoK. The ministry then signed a one-year MoU allowing the recruitment of a limited number of labourers.

Vietnamese workers go through procedures before flying to work in the Republic of Korea.

According to the MoEL, the MoU will be signed during MoEL Minister Lee Ki-kweon’s visit to Vietnam on May 17.

The ministry said the decision comes after RoK enterprises employing foreign labourers asked the RoK Government to re-sign the MoU, saying that Vietnamese labourers adapt well to new working environments and quickly acquire skills.

In addition, Vietnam has also put forth a plan to improve the management of its guest workers and curb the number of Vietnamese overstaying their visas in the RoK.

Minister Lee Ki-kweon is scheduled to meet his Vietnamese counterpart to discuss Vietnam’s industrial safety, the labour information system and the labour law.

Minister Lee will also meet with Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam to discuss expanding labour exchange and solving problems relating to administrative procedures in attracting investment.

The MoEL reported that around 10,000 RoK employees are working at 3,300 RoK enterprises in Vietnam. It added that the Southeast Asian country recently tightens the issue of visa to foreign workers, which can cause difficulties to RoK companies in dispatching their employees to work there.

Source: VNA