KOREA: The Minister of Labor and Vocational Training, Ith Sam Heng, has praised and thanked Cambodian workers living in the Republic of Korea for contributing to the improvement of family life and helping to raise the national economy to another level.

Minister Ith Sam Heng made this statement during the Khmer New Year celebration held in Uijeongbu, Republic of Korea on Sunday morning, 16 April 2023, with around 5,000 Cambodian workers, students and diplomats in attendance.

According to the Minister of Labor, Cambodian workers in Korea send an average of about US $1,000 a month to their families and contribute nearly US $600 million annually to the nation.

He added that after workers finish their time in Korea, they will have gained many skills and enhanced their discipline, knowledge and experience, which they can then apply in their home country. In this way, Cambodian workers can also act as a bridge for attracting more direct investment from the Republic of Korea.

Meanwhile, the Korean side has repeatedly expressed an appreciation for Cambodian workers for always respecting the rules of employment and exhibiting a good attitude while providing their service.

Minister Ith Sam Heng, on behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, announced the implementation of five goals, including the strengthening of cooperation with the Korean side to maintain and increase employment for Cambodian workers; the provision of public services to workers, such as Korean language tests; cooperation with the Korean side to protect labor rights in accordance with the law and the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two countries; the provision of vocational training to increase the ability of Cambodian youth in finding new jobs; and the preparation of qualifications when returning home, while providing counselling and aiding workers resolve any other outstanding issues.

Since 2000, the Cambodian Minister of Labor has visited the Republic of Korea to negotiate with the country's Ministry of Employment and Labor, as well as other relevant Korean institutions, to establish greater cooperation in the field of labor and to enhance the recruitment of Cambodian workers. This process began with the implementation of a skills training system, which developed into the Employment Permit System (EPS) in 2007, providing a better working environment as well as improved accuracy, transparency and safety in worker selection, training and delivery.