Vietnamese workers in RoK receive legal consultancy

The event was jointly held by Vietnam Labour Management Office under the Employment Permit System (EPS) Programme and the Gwangju Foreigner Welfare Centre.

Kim Wan-suk, head of the consulting group of the Gwangju Foreigner Welfare Centre, stressed the significance of the consultation, saying it should be carried out regularly.

The centre stands ready to support and provide timely assistance for Vietnamese labourers who face difficulties while living and working in the RoK, she pledged, lauding the Vietnamese office for its coordination with relevant Korean agencies in dealing with emerging issues relating to Vietnamese employees in the country.

Vu Thi Hang, from Gwangju’s Police, clarified legal procedures and other matters regarding the rights and obligations of Vietnamese workers in the city, and warned them about tricks played by organisations and individuals to appropriate property.

As of late November 2022, a total of 6,900 Vietnamese workers have been sent to the RoK under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the EPS Programme signed by Vietnam’s Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the RoK’s Ministry of Employment and Labour in February 2021, which is expected to expire in February 2023.

Another 1,500 Vietnamese workers are expected to arrive in the RoK in December, raising the total number this year to 8,400, the highest over the past three years.

The two sides agreed to tighten the management of and increase support for the workers during their stay in the RoK, especially at the time when their labour contracts are about to end.  
  
The two sides are scheduled to continue with negotiations in the last quarter of this year, and re-sign the MoU in early 2023.