Vietnam’s Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs has announced that the labor export program with South Korea will be temporarily stopped for eight districts, towns, and cities in four provinces due to Vietnamese workers’ overdue and illegal stay in the host country.

The districts are Nghi Xuan and Cam Xuyen Districts of north-central Ha Tinh Province, Chi Linh City of northern Hai Dương Province, Cua Lo Town, Nghi Loc District, and Hung Nguyen District of north-central Nghe An Province, and Dong Son and Hoang Hoa Districts of north-central Thanh Hoa Province.

The decision is made based on the memorandum of understanding on the Employment Permit System (EPS) with South Korea, and its road map to reduce illegal workers in the 2021-22 period.

The eight mentioned districts, towns, and cities have more than 70 illegal guest workers dwelling in South Korea and over 27 percent of workers failing to return to Vietnam on time upon the expiration of their work contracts. 

The temporary suspension, whose duration has not been announced, does not apply to workers in the fishery industry, those who have come to South Korea under the EPS program and return on time, and illegal laborers who voluntarily come back home during the penalty exemption period.

South Korea has been a popular destination for many Vietnamese migrant workers. 

Over 110,000 Vietnamese guest workers have come to work in South Korea under the EPS program since its launch in 2004, according to the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs.

There are currently 28,000 Vietnamese workers under the program in the East Asian country.

In the 2016-17 period, about 40-50 districts in 20 provinces in Vietnam were temporarily suspended from sending workers abroad. 

By the beginning of 2023, the number had dropped to eight.

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