Cambodian passport services in S Korea ‘next year’

A SPOKESPERSON for the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training has announced that early next year, Cambodian citizens in South Korea will be able to apply for replacement passports without having to return to the Kingdom.

On December 18 – the 24th International Day of Migrant Workers – ministry spokesperson Katta Orn said the government intends to put passport services, online extensions and criminal background checks into operation via an online hub in South Korea.

“Facilitating the application of passports directly from South Korea will simplify travel, save time and reduce costs for workers and students, something which the head of the government pays close attention to,” he added.

Ath Thorn, president of the Cambodian Labour Confederation (CLC), supported the new policy, explaining that it would be hugely beneficial to Cambodians living and working in South Korea.

“In the past, when workers wanted to renew their passports or obtain certain documents, they had to spend a lot of time and money travelling to Cambodia. If this service can be provided, I think there should be a similar service in Thailand, Malaysia or other countries where Cambodian workers often need to extend their passports or apply for criminal record checks,” he said.

In early September, while meeting with about 20,000 factory workers in Kampong Speu province, Prime Minister Hun Manet said he had instructed preparations to be made for enabling passport services in South Korea. He also suggested that the relevant officials establish a Cambodian consulate in southern Thailand to assist the Cambodians working there.

According to the labour ministry, as of August, there were about 1.3 million Cambodian citizens working abroad. The majority – more than 1.2 million – were employed in Thailand. South Korea had around 50,000, with Malaysia and Japan hiring 20,000 or so Cambodian workers.

Together, Cambodians working abroad send remittances of more than $2 billion home each year.

On a related note, during a December 14 working meeting with Murai Yoshihiro, governor of Japan’s Miyagi Prefecture, labour minister Heng Sour suggested that the governor encourage more enterprises and businesses in Miyagi to recruit trainees and skilled workers from Cambodia.

“Miyagi prefecture has recently opened a number of new factories. I asked the governor to suggest that they hire more Cambodians,” said Sour via the ministry’s social media.