Philippine Ambassador to Korea Visits HJ Shipbuilding to Express Gratitude and Support

Government Expands E-7 Visa Policy for Shipbuilding... HJ Heavy Industries Hires Over 200 Skilled Workers from the Philippines

HJ Heavy Industries welcomed the Ambassador of the Philippines to Korea, who visited the Yeongdo Shipyard in connection with the recruitment of Filipino welders, and expressed hopes for further development and cooperation between the two countries.

Maria Teresa B De Vega, Ambassador of the Philippines to Korea, and embassy officials visiting Busan Yeongdo Shipyard (10th from the left in the back row, Ambassador Maria Teresa B De Vega; 12th from the left in the back row, CEO Sangchul Yoo of HJ Heavy Industries).

This is the first time that the Ambassador of the Philippines to Korea has personally visited a shipyard that has hired Filipino workers.

On the 28th, HJ Heavy Industries welcomed Maria Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega, the Ambassador of the Philippines to Korea, and embassy officials at the Busan Yeongdo Shipyard, holding a yard tour and an event to encourage the Filipino workers.

Last year, the company became the first in the shipbuilding industry to hire about 200 Filipino welders, thanks to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Justice, and the Korea Offshore & Shipbuilding Association’s policy to expand E-7 visas. In the shipbuilding sector, E-7 visas are issued for jobs such as ship welders, ship painters, and electricians.

The company recruited foreign welders among those who had experience as skilled workers at its former overseas subsidiary, the Subic Shipyard in the Philippines, or whose skills had been proven.

Filipino welders have been highly praised in the industry for not only their excellent skills and diligence as experienced workers, but also their adaptability to Korean corporate culture, with many saying that the company has solved both the manpower shortage and the challenge of securing skilled workers.

HJ Heavy Industries hired all of these workers as direct employees, which enhanced their sense of belonging and loyalty, and also provided various forms of support such as accommodation, improved living conditions, and medical services to help them adapt to life in Korea. To date, the vast majority of the 200 workers hired at that time continue to work diligently without leaving, making HJ Heavy Industries’ introduction of Filipino welders a model case of the government’s E-7 visa expansion policy.

During her visit to the Yeongdo Shipyard, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega toured the shipyard and encouraged her compatriots who were focused on shipbuilding work. She also met with CEO Yoo Sangchul, expressing her gratitude for HJ Heavy Industries’ employment of the largest number of Filipino welders in the industry and for providing the most favorable and desirable working environment. She added that she hopes HJ Heavy Industries will achieve even greater synergy through the job satisfaction and motivation of Filipino workers.

Yoo Sangchul, CEO of HJ Heavy Industries, said, “The introduction of skilled workers from the Philippines has not only helped resolve the manpower shortage but also revitalized the production site. We thank the Philippine government for training and dispatching such excellent workers, and we hope this will further expand development and cooperation between the two countries.”

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