FM seeks to reopen employment in Korea

• Seeks assistance from Korean Govt. to recommence receiving new SL employees
• Says Govt. committed to fulfilling all health and other requirements of workers   
• Employment for new migrants suspended due to COVID-19

Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena held discussions concerning the revival of foreign employment cooperation between Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea with the Korean Ambassador in Sri Lanka Woonjin Jeong this week, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement yesterday.   

While appreciating the Republic of Korea’s partnership in providing employment opportunities for Sri Lankan nationals in the Republic of Korea, the Foreign Minister further sought the assistance of the Korean Government to recommence receiving new employees from Sri Lanka which has been temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea.  

“Foreign Minister Gunawardena conveyed that despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the Sri Lankan Government is ready to fulfil the health and other related requirements in collaboration with the Korean authorities with a view to recommencing the employment flow from Sri Lanka to Korea at the earliest,” the statement said.   

Ambassador Jeong noted that the Sri Lankan employees had contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of the Republic of Korea and expressed his fullest cooperation to overcome challenges and deepen mutual cooperation between the two countries in the field of foreign employment.          

State Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Market Diversification Piyankara Jayaratne, Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Chairman Kamal Ratwatte and senior officials of the State Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotion and Market Diversification and the Foreign Ministry were also present at the meeting.