The Ministry of Labor is intensifying efforts to tackle the issue of Thai nationals working illegally in South Korea, a situation that has led to a public backlash and calls to ban travel to Korea. The recent social media outcry saw hashtags criticizing Korean immigration surge in popularity.
Labor Minister Phipat Ratchakitprakarn has initiated a partnership with the Thai Travel Agents Association to prevent tour operators from being complicit in illegal employment activities. It is estimated that over 100,000 Thais are working unlawfully in South Korea, surpassing the number of legally employed Thai workers.
The illegal workforce often referred to colloquially as “little ghosts,” is accused of violating the bilateral agreement with South Korea by overstaying tourist visas to seek employment. To combat this, the ministry has established specialized teams at major Thai airports to deter and intercept potential illegal workers from traveling to South Korea.
The Labor Ministry is also working closely with the Korea Immigration Service to share information and is actively targeting recruitment agencies that encourage illegal employment through online platforms.
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