Migrants to South Korea up

via CAAI

Friday, 03 December 2010 15:02 May Kunmakara

THE number of Cambodian migrant workers travelling to South Korea so far this year has surpassed last year’s total by 17.3 percent, the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training said yesterday.

Heng Sour, who heads the ministry’s overseas manpower unit, told the Post that an improved South Korean economy, especially in the growing industrial and agricultural sectors, had contributed to greater demand for foreign labour.

A total of 1,979 Cambodian workers migrated to South Korea from January to the end of November, compared with 1,687 for the whole of 2009.

Cambodia ranked sixth out of the 15 countries to send migrant labour to Korea, with numbers falling behind Vietnam, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia and Uzbekistan.

“They can learn and improve their skills during their work there,” Heng Sour said.

The increase this year follows a 33 percent drop in Cambodian migrants in 2009, compared to 2008.

Most of the workers are employed in light industry, agriculture and fisheries, and can earn fixed salaries of between US$700 to $800 a month.

Of this year’s migrants, just 472 were men.