On July 21, 2019, Permanent Secretary of Labour Mr. Suthi Sukosol and CEO of Human Resource Development Services of Korea (HRD Korea) Mr. Kim Dong Man, along with the Director-General of the Department of Employment Mrs. Petcharat Sinauy and committee, visited the Korean language examination area to create morale and encouragement for staff and examiners at the Korean Language Testing Center at the Udon Thani Municipal Secondary School 6, Mueang, Udon Thani.
Permanent Secretary of Labour Mr. Suthi Sukosol gave a speech after the visit saying that the Thai government, by the Ministry of Labour and Korean government, by the Ministry of Employment and Labour, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the delivery of labour to work in the Republic of Korea, under the Employment Permit System for Foreign Workers (EPS) since 2004. It requires the Ministry of Labour’s Department of Employment as the sender of workers, to take on responsibilities in recruitment, selection and delivery of job seekers to work, in which the job seekers traveling to work must pass the Korean language test (EPS-TOPIK) and professional skills as determined by the Korean authorities. Meanwhile, the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD Korea) is responsible for organizing the examinations; HRD Korea informs the schedule and details of the application for Korean language and professional skills assessment (Point System) no. 7 to apply to work in the Republic of Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS) in 3 types of businesses, namely the manufacturing industry which only accepts male workers, agriculture/livestock work which accepts both female and male workers and construction work which only accepts male workers. So far, applications for Korean language assessments were taken on June 7-9, 2019, through 4 centers including the Admissions Center in Bangkok, the Admissions Center in Lampang, the Recruitment Center in Udon Thani and the Admissions Center in Nakhon Ratchasima. There was a total of 12,418 applicants with 6,281 for industrial jobs, 3,886 for agricultural/livestock work and 2,251 in construction.
There are 2 assessment methods consisting of a computer and paper test. The following shows which Korean language proficiency assessment centers use which method: 1) The Bangkok Assessment Center uses computers for assessment and is located at the Department of Employment, Bangkok Social Security Office Building, Area 3, 11th Floor, Mitmaitri Road, Din Daeng, Bangkok 2) The Udon Thani Assessment Center uses with computers for assessment and is located at commercial building No. 131, Moo 5, ring road, Ban Lueam, Mueang, Udon Thani, and using paper at the Udon Thani Municipal High School 6, located at No. 237/4, Udon Dutsadi Road, Mak Khaeng, Mueang, Udon Thani 3) The Lampang Assessment Center uses paper for assessment and is located at Lampang Rajabhat University, 119 Lampang Road – Mae Tha, Mueang, Lampang 4) The Nakhon Ratchasima Assessment Center uses paper for assessment and is located at the Kiatkunwittaya School, No. 12 Mittraphap-Nong Khai Road, Muen Wai, Mueang, Nakhon Ratchasima.
The Director-General of the Department of Employment Mrs. Petcharat Sinouy added that today (July 21, 2019) the 3 Korean language proficiency assessment centers testing with paper are in 3 provinces, including 1) The Udon Thani Assessment Center with 2,558 people 2) The Lampang Assessment Center with 2,317 people, 3) The Nakhon Ratchasima Assessment Center with 2,465 people. In August 2019, the centers will announce people who have passed the assessment. Since 2004, statistics show that 76,365 Thai workers have been deployed for work in Korea through the EPS program, mostly in the industrial sector, followed by agriculture/livestock and construction, respectively.
After the visit, there were discussions on issues relating to the employment conditions of Thai workers in the Republic of Korea. Representatives from the Thai side asked for help take in taking care of the state of work for Thai workers and discussed the use of the Korean language proficiency assessment centers equipped with computers to be used in Korean language training or other training, allowing job seekers to work according to the EPS system. At present, the EPS center in Thailand has 2 Korean language proficiency assessment rooms with computers, namely in Bangkok and Udon Thani, and the parties requested an increased quote in the industrial sector from 4,800 people/year to 6,000 people/year.
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Division of Public Relations/
News by Department of Employment/
21 July 2019/
