Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have extended the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on supplying and receiving Vietnamese guest workers under the employment permit system (EPS) programme.

At the signing ceremony in Seoul on August 29, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thanh Hoa emphasised that the extension of the MoU for two more years and the MoU on cooperation in vocational training, social insurance and labour safety that has been extended since late May 2009 are legal foundations and create conditions for a large number of Vietnamese workers to work in the RoK, thus further boosting the two countries’ labour cooperation.

Hoa said the ministry highly evaluated the RoK’s labour market, considering it an important market for Vietnamese workers.

According to the deputy minister, the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs has decided to set up a vocational training school for Vietnamese workers before sending to the RoK.

He said Vietnam hoped that the RoK Government and its Labour Ministry would join in training Vietnamese workers to help them get familiar with the lifestyle and daily activities in the RoK.

Deputy Labour Minister of the RoK Lee Chae Pil said that Vietnam now tops of the list of 15 nations in the RoK’s EPS programme.

Vietnamese workers are hardworking and skillful, he said, adding that there are more than 55,000 Vietnamese workers are working at over 1,500 RoK small and medium-sized enterprises, contributing to promoting the development of business activities of the RoK enterprises and its economy at large.

He went on to stress that his government is not only exerting efforts to protect the Vietnamese workers’ benefits at the country’s workshops but also paying attention to improving the living conditions for Vietnamese workers.

Lee highlighted the job festival that took place in Vietnam last October where RoK businesses and Vietnamese workers met one another.

He confirmed that the RoK would do its utmost to help train Vietnamese workers before entering the country.