"5600 Cambodians Take Korean Language Test to Work in Korea..."

Visiting the Cambodia HRD Test Center

Competition Rate for Agricultural and Livestock Industry Recruitment 5 to 1…Sending 7,000 to 8,000 Workers to Korea Annually

Ranked 1st Among 16 Sending Countries

[Asia Economy Phnom Penh, Guest Reporter Ang Gilhyun] On the 25th of last month, tension filled the Korean Language Test Center of the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD) at the National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia (NPIC). This was because the second Employment Permit System Korean Language Proficiency Test (EPS-TOPIK) of the year was being held from the 18th to the 26th of the same month, following the test in April. For 1,000 agricultural and livestock workers to be selected, 5,600 candidates took the exam, pushing the competition rate well beyond 5 to 1. Especially since last year, the test format changed from paper-based to computer-based, extending the test period. The test center can accommodate about 800 people per day, so if the number of candidates is large, it can take up to two months just to complete the testing.

At the test center that day, Tom Sarun (26) appeared hopeful about working in Korea. He came up from Takeo Province, about 100 km south of Phnom Penh City, to take the exam. He said he earns a monthly salary of 200 USD working as a welder in his hometown. With a wife and a two-year-old son, he wants to start a small business to increase his income, but with his current earnings, he cannot even consider it. He said, "I prepared for the exam for eight months at an academy in my hometown," and evaluated, "Reading comprehension was somewhat difficult."

Cambodians working in Korea save or remit about 10,000 USD annually to their families. Working in Korea for 4 years and 8 months can accumulate about 50,000 USD, which is a large sum that Mr. Sarun would only be able to save after 20 years if he saved all his current salary. This is why he wants to leave his family and work in Korea. Last year, Cambodians working in Korea remitted 300 million USD to their home country through financial institutions. This amount accounts for 1.2% of Cambodia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Even if candidates pass the Korean language test, there is another hurdle. They must pass the skill level evaluation test, which assesses physical fitness, interviews, and basic skills, to finally be able to go to Korea.

From 2012 to 2017, Cambodia sent 7,000 to 8,000 workers to Korea annually, ranking first among the 16 sending countries. In 2018, the number dropped by about 1,000, falling to third place, but last year Cambodia regained first place.

The reason for losing first place in 2018 was that the period required to enter Korea was excessively long, causing Korean companies hiring these workers to avoid contracts with Cambodian workers. In 2018, the period for Cambodians to enter Korea for work exceeded 90 days, while the average for other countries was about 40 days.

Yeodongsoo, head of the Cambodia EPS (Employment Permit System) Center at the Human Resources Development Service of Korea, said, "We set a goal to reduce the entry period to the '30-day range' and requested the Korean Embassy and Cambodia's Ministry of Labor to simplify administrative procedures." As a result, last year the period was drastically reduced to 29 days. As the waiting list quickly decreased, an additional 1,000 agricultural and livestock workers were recruited.

He said, "Cambodians working in Korea play a foundational role not only for Korean small and medium enterprises but also for Cambodia's economic development," and added, "We will strive even harder to ensure a win-win situation for both countries." Phnom Penh, Guest Reporter Ang Gilhyun khahn@asiae.co.kr

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.