Sri Lanka Prime Minister urges Korea to increase job avenues for Sri Lankans
Speaker of the National Assembly of South Korea Park Byeong-seug meets Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa
Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday requested South Korea to consider increasing the number of employment opportunities allocated for Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister made the request during a meeting with the Speaker of the National Assembly of South Korea Park Byeong-seug yesterday at Temple Trees. Speaker Park is the first South Korean speaker to visit Sri Lanka in 10 years.
The Korean Speaker responded positively to the request stating, “I’m pleased that young, talented Sri Lankan workers have contributed to income growth of both our countries.”
According to the Foreign Ministry, currently, over 22,000 Sri Lankan migrants are employed in South Korea. In 2019, they collectively remitted around US$520 million back to the country. The contribution of remittances from the Sri Lankan migrant workers in South Korea was 7.75% of the total foreign remittances, equivalent to 0.62% of Sri Lanka’s total GDP.
In year 2019, South Korea allocated 3,600 employment opportunities to Sri Lankan migrants. That allocation decreased to just 500 in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, over 400 Sri Lankans have already secured employment in South Korea and are looking forward ton travelling. After a lapse of 20 months, the first batch of 33 Sri Lankan migrants arrived in South Korea last month.
Speaker Park thanked the Prime Minister for supporting the vaccination of the South Korean community in Sri Lanka and for including the Korean language as a foreign language in the Advanced Level curriculum.
The Sri Lankan delegation also requested South Korea for support with vocational training programs, noting Sri Lanka’s highly-skilled human resources and a workforce with good IT knowledge. Responding positively, Speaker Park said Sri Lanka’s young workforce with good English knowledge, together with South Korea’s technological capabilities can open up collaboration possibilities in the areas of education and vocational training.
In other areas of discussion, Prime Minister Rajapaksa requested South Korea to encourage more Korean investments in Sri Lanka, pointing out that, at one time, South Korea was among the countries that had the most investments in Sri Lanka.
Speaker Park also suggested that the two countries explore cooperation in the areas of climate change and renewable energy resources.
This year, Sri Lanka and South Korea are celebrating 45 years of establishing diplomatic relations. Speaking about the many years of close cooperation between the two countries, Speaker Park said, “I hope this visit will be a catalyst for a new chapter of prosperity.”
(Courtesy: Daily News)
Latest Headlines in Sri Lanka
- Over 120,000 tourists arrive in Sri Lanka in first 20 days of November 2024 November 25, 2024
- IMF backs Sri Lanka’s plan to boost revenue with vehicle imports November 25, 2024
- Bus collision in Watawala injures four amid adverse weather November 25, 2024
- Senior Professor Rathnayake appointed to restore order at University of Ruhuna November 24, 2024
- Sri Lankan fishing vessel seized with massive drug haul in Maldives November 24, 2024
This is nothing but modern day slavery just to bring some foreign exchange for politicians and government scroungers to have a luxury life out of the misery of these poor people.
Signs of desperation.
This visitor from Korea is the Speaker; he has no role in Govt of Policy making.
The request will fall on deaf ears.
The KS leaders are now promoting slave trade to maintain their lavish lifestyles on worker remittances.
They have no clue on how to develop the Nation to provide opportunity to all its citizens.