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Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung and Minister of Employment and Labor of South Korea Lee Jung Sik have signed and exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the sending and receiving of Vietnamese workers.
In 2023, following Vietnam's proposal, South Korea has increased its target by five times compared to 2022 for the number of Vietnamese laborers coming to work in the country.
As of the beginning of June 2023, there were nearly 49,000 Vietnamese workers working in this market, with an average income ranging from $1,500 to $2,000 per month. According to information from the Office of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, on June 23, 2023, in Hanoi, during the official visit of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and his spouse to Vietnam, at the Presidential Palace, in the presence of State President Vo Van Thuong and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, on behalf of the Government of Vietnam, Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung, and South Korean Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jung Sik signed and exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the dispatch and reception of Vietnamese workers to work in South Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS) program.
The content of this EPS program memorandum is basically similar to the previously signed MOUs, which mention the responsibilities of the sending and receiving agencies, the costs of dispatch, the selection process, the introduction, and the signing of contracts with candidates. The agreement also stipulates the preparatory work before departure, support for the dispatch and reception process, preventive measures, and minimizing situations where workers' contracts expire but they do not voluntarily return to their home country.
The agreement particularly emphasizes the responsibilities of the relevant agencies of both Vietnam and South Korea in implementing the EPS program. The Memorandum has a validity period of 2 years from the date of signing and remains in effect during the negotiation of a new extension. After 30 years of labor cooperation, South Korea has become one of the key labor markets, attracting many Vietnamese workers to come and work in South Korea.
The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam, together with the Ministry of Employment and Labor of South Korea, has continuously expanded comprehensive cooperation activities in the fields of labor, employment, and vocational education in recent years. Labor cooperation between Vietnam and South Korea officially began in 1993 through the supply and use of labor cooperation program.
In recent years, due to an aging population, South Korea has faced a shortage of labor, especially in industries such as manufacturing, shipbuilding, information technology, agriculture, vegetable harvesting, fishing, tourism, retail services, nursing, and housekeeping. The South Korean government is actively adjusting policies to attract more foreign labor, such as increasing quotas under the EPS program, extending working hours for seasonal agricultural workers, and expanding the reception of labor in the shipbuilding industry with more favorable conditions for workers.
The Memorandum of Understanding on the dispatch and reception of Vietnamese laborers to work in South Korea was signed under the witness of President Vo Van Thuong of Vietnam and President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea.
The Memorandum of Understanding on the dispatch and reception of Vietnamese laborers to work in South Korea was signed under the witness of President Vo Van Thanh of Vietnam and President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea. For Vietnamese workers, South Korea is a high-income market that is culturally familiar, making it an attractive choice for employment. As of June 1, 2023, there are 48,950 Vietnamese workers working in this market, which is an increase of 9,300 compared to the same period in 2022. The average income for these workers ranges from $1,500 to $2,000 per month.
The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam and the Ministry of Employment and Labor of South Korea have signed several cooperation agreements in 2004, 2009, 2013, 2019, and 2021. The two ministries have established a long-term partnership and continue to expand comprehensive cooperation in the fields of labor, employment, and social welfare.In 2003, the National Assembly of South Korea approved the Law on the Employment Permit System (EPS), which took effect on August 1, 2004, opening up opportunities for many skilled Vietnamese workers to work in South Korea.
With close and effective cooperation between the two ministries, the EPS program has been implemented efficiently, fairly, objectively, and transparently, providing high-income employment opportunities for Vietnamese workers. At the same time, it contributes to the development of Korean enterprises, deepens the cooperative relationship between the two countries, and helps elevate the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and South Korea.
As of June 19, 2023, Vietnam has sent over 5,423 workers to South Korea, and it is expected to strive for the target of 10,000 workers emigrating for employment in South Korea under the EPS program for the entire year of 2023. Currently, there are more than 33,500 Vietnamese workers working in South Korea under the EPS program. Especially in 2023, the two sides have cooperated in organizing the Korean language test for 23,381 workers who wish to work in South Korea. This is the largest number of registrations in the past 10 years, including 19,201 workers registered in the manufacturing industry, 2,557 workers in the fisheries industry, 1,281 workers in the agricultural sector, and 342 workers in the construction industry.
The two sides are also collaborating with vocational schools to select 300 skilled workers in welding, which is a pilot project implemented in 2018, 2020, and 2022. This year, in response to Vietnam's proposal, South Korea has increased its target by five times compared to 2022.
Phuong Thao
