South Korea has been implementing a voluntary home-return registration programme for illegal foreigners since May 22, Vietnam's Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Ministry's overseas labourers management department said.

Vietnamese guest workers wait to board a flight to South Korea. — Photo courtesy of Overseas Labourers Management Department 

Under the programme, Vietnamese people living illegally in South Korea, who have valid passports and air tickets, can complete procedures to return home at immigration offices in all international airports in that country. They will be exempted from paying fines and spared temporary detention.

Illegal residents returning home voluntarily will be considered for a shortened two-year ban on re-entering South Korea, it said.

For more information, workers can contact the management board for Vietnamese workers in South Korea, located on the sixth floor, Peeres Bldg, Golden Bridge Building, 222 Chungjeongno - 3ga, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-708; Telephone number: (0082) 23641043.

They can also contact the instruction centre for foreigners at 1345 or the immigration management office in major international airports: Incheon Airport -- 032-740-7391~2; 032-891-9925; 032-8777-9941; Gimpo Airport -- 02-2664-6202; and Gimhae Airport -- 051-979-1300.

Meanwhile, South Korea's justice ministry said arrested illegal workers would be fined, deported and prohibited from re-entering the country for a maximum period of 10 years.

According to statistics from South Korea's immigration service under the justice ministry, as many as 26,340 Vietnamese people are living illegally in the country.