Vietnamese Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung and Korean Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jung Sik exchanged the MOU.
There are currently 48,950 Vietnamese workers working in Korea.
Specifically, on June 23, 2023, within the framework of the official visit of President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife, at the Presidential Palace, under the witness of President Vo Van Thuong and President Yoon Suk-yeol, leaders of ministries and branches of Vietnam and Korea signed cooperation agreements.
On behalf of the Government of Vietnam, Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung and Minister of Employment and Labor of the Republic of Korea Lee Jung Sik signed and exchanged the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on sending and receiving Vietnamese workers to work in the Republic of Korea under the Employment Permit System for Foreign Workers of the Republic of Korea (EPS Program).
It is known that the content of the EPS Program signed this time is basically similar to the previously signed MOUs, which mentions the responsibilities of the sending and receiving agencies, the sending costs, the selection process, introduction and signing of contracts with candidates.
The agreement also stipulates pre-departure preparations, support for the dispatch and reception of workers, and measures to prevent and minimize the situation of workers whose contracts have expired but do not voluntarily return home.
The signing ceremony especially emphasized the responsibilities of relevant agencies of both Vietnam and Korea in implementing the EPS Program.
For Vietnamese workers, Korea is a high-income market with a close cultural relationship, attracting many workers to choose to work there. As of June 1, 2023, there were 48,950 Vietnamese workers working in this market (an increase of 9,300 people compared to the same period in 2022).
The average income of workers is from 1,500 - 2,000 USD/month. The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam and the Ministry of Employment and Labor of Korea have signed Cooperation Agreements many times in 2004, 2009, 2013, 2019 and 2021.
Under the witness of President Vo Van Thuong and President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk-yeol, Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam Dao Ngoc Dung and Minister of Employment and Labor of the Republic of Korea Lee Jung Sik exchanged the MOU.
The two ministries have established a medium- and long-term partnership and continued to expand comprehensive cooperation activities in the fields of labor, employment and social security.
In 2003, the Korean National Assembly approved the Foreign Workers Permit Act (EPS Program), which took effect on August 1, 2004, opening up opportunities for many qualified Vietnamese workers to work in Korea.
Strive to achieve the target of 10,000 workers in 2023
With close and effective cooperation between the two Ministries, the EPS Program has been implemented effectively, fairly, objectively and transparently, creating many high-income jobs for Vietnamese workers as well as contributing to the development of Korean enterprises, deepening the cooperative relationship between the two countries and contributing to raising the relationship to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Korea.
As of June 19, 2023, Vietnam has sent more than 5,423 workers to Korea and is expected to strive to achieve the target of 10,000 workers going to work in Korea under the EPS Program in 2023. Currently, there are more than 33,500 Vietnamese workers working in Korea under the EPS Program.
Notably, in 2023, the two sides coordinated to organize a Korean language exam for 23,381 workers wishing to work in Korea - this is the exam with the largest number of registrations in the past 10 years, including 19,201 workers registered in the manufacturing industry; 2,557 workers registered in the fisheries industry; 1,281 workers registered in the agriculture industry, and 342 workers registered in the construction industry.
The two sides are also coordinating with vocational schools to select 300 skilled welding workers. This is a pilot project to be implemented in 2018, 2020, and 2022. This year, at Vietnam's request, the Korean side has allocated a quota 5 times higher than in 2022.
The Memorandum of Understanding is effective for 02 years from the date of signing, and remains effective during the period of new extension negotiations.
Korea is one of the key labor markets.
After 30 years of labor cooperation, Korea has become one of the key labor markets, attracting many Vietnamese workers to work in Korea.
The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam and the Ministry of Employment and Labor of Korea have continuously expanded comprehensive cooperation activities in the fields of labor, employment and vocational education in recent years. Labor cooperation between Vietnam and Korea officially began in 1993 through the labor supply and employment cooperation program.
In recent years, due to population aging, Korea has increasingly lacked human resources, especially in the manufacturing, shipbuilding, information technology, agriculture, livestock, fruit and vegetable harvesting, fishing, tourism, retail services, nursing, and housekeeping industries.
The Korean government is actively adjusting policies to attract more foreign workers, such as increasing quotas under the EPS Program, extending working hours for seasonal agricultural workers, and expanding the acceptance of workers in the shipbuilding industry with more favorable conditions for workers.
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