More Lao nationals to work in S. Korea farming, fishery

The government will send more Lao workers to South Korea to work in the agriculture and fishery sectors, hoping they will learn from the experience and benefit from the expertise of Korean farmers.
In line with this intention, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and Gyeongsangnam-do province in the Republic of Korea last week signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on agricultural labour exchange.
This will develop agricultural production capacity and quality in Laos, a senior official from the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare said.
Lao authorities aim to send 1,500 to 2,000 Lao nationals to work in Korea each year.
The MOU was signed in Gyeongsangnam-do province on June 14 during a visit to Korea by Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Mrs Baykham Khattiya.
The agreement was signed by the Director General of the Employment Department, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Ms Anousone Khamsingsavat, and the Mayors of Namhae, Geochang, Goseong, Haman, and Sacheon cities.
Mrs Baykham Khattiya also met with the Deputy Governor of Gyeongsangnam-do province, Mr Kim Byung Kyoo.
The Department of Employment earlier signed another MOU on the employment of seasonal workers in the districts of Changnyeong-Gun, Miryang-Si, Uiryeong-Gun, Sancheong-Gun and Namhae-Gun in Gyeongsangnam-do province.
Lao authorities say there are at least 2,800 Lao nationals working in the Republic of Korea on short-term contracts from 2022 to 2023.
Workers are employed on Korean farms and other sectors under the Employment Permit System and the Seasonal Worker Programme agreed to between the two countries.
So far, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare has signed agreements on seasonal labour deployment with 28 cities in South Korea, where labourers work for 90 days or five months in the farming and fishing sectors.
Last month the ministry warned people in Laos not to fall victim to agents of fake companies who promise them a job in South Korea.
Since April 2022, the Department of Employment in collaboration with provincial and district Labour and Social Welfare Departments has sent 434 seasonal workers to the Korean province, including 261 to Changnyeong-Gun, 153 to Miryang-Si, 17 to Sancheong-Gun, and three to Uiryeong-Gun.
There are currently 97,799 Lao nationals working abroad. At 51,728, Thailand employs the highest number of Lao people, while 626 people work in Japan and another 969 in South Korea.
Laos is ranked seventh in the list of Asean countries whose citizens are employed in South Korea. The top three countries are Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia with 55,795, 26,217, and 24,732 workers respectively holding jobs in that country.

By Phetphoxay Sengpaseuth
 (Latest Update June 20, 2023)