Update on worker conditions in South Korea from Vietnamese labor authorities

At a seminar held on December 5 at the Vietnamese embassy in Seoul, Vietnamese labor managers in South Korea had the opportunity to gain valuable insights into the working and living conditions of Vietnamese workers, as well as emerging issues.

Vu Ho, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, speaks at the event. Photo: Vietnam News Agency

Organized by the Community Working Group of the Vietnamese Embassy in coordination with the EPS Labor Management Office and the Vietnamese Labor Management Board in South Korea, the seminar was attended by Vietnamese consultants from overseas labor support and welfare centers, South Korean police of Vietnamese descent, and representatives from Vietnamese community groups in South Korea.

In his remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador to South Korea Vu Ho highlighted the challenges faced by counselors and praised their dedication and enthusiasm in serving the community. He emphasized their crucial role as a bridge between workers and management, and between the Embassy and the workers.

The Ambassador emphasized the importance of labor export to job creation and economic development in Vietnam. "The interests of workers must be at the forefront of the performance of the Embassy, labor management agencies, consultants, and community representatives to ensure that it is meaningful, effective, and successful," he said.

Chu Quang Duong, head of the Vietnam Labor Management Board under the Employment Permit System (EPS) program, said the seminar provided an opportunity for Vietnamese labor authorities to gain insights from foreign worker support center consultants and community groups. Discussions at the seminar focused on strengthening cooperation between the EPS office, consultants, and community groups to improve legal awareness and reduce illegal residency.

Le Thanh Ha, First Secretary of the Embassy of Vietnam in Korea and Head of the Vietnamese Labor Management Board in South Korea, highlighted specific initiatives undertaken by the Foreign Labor Support Center. These include the comprehensive collection of workers' data to assist them and respond to their needs in a timely manner.

The embassy representative provided essential guidelines for coordinating efforts among the consultants, representatives of Vietnamese community groups, and the embassy's Community Working Group.

Vietnamese workers clear immigration at Incheon Airport in South Korea. Photo: Manh Hung/The Hanoi Times

The seminar featured numerous presentations by consultants working in areas with high concentrations of Vietnamese workers. Discussions highlighted the current situation of workers and addressed issues related to contractual obligations, health insurance, welfare provisions, crime prevention and social challenges within the community.

The consultants voiced their concerns and identified obstacles with the goal of bringing these issues to the attention of the embassy, the Community Working Group, the EPS Labor Management Office, and the Vietnamese Labor Management Board in South Korea.

The seminar reached a consensus and achieved concrete results on the content, methods and strategies to promote the export of labor while improving the protection of workers' rights in South Korea going forward.