Cambodians working in South Korea this year are expected to remit up to US$80 million to the Kingdom as up to 40 per cent more Cambodian labour heads to the East Asian nation compared to last year.

The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training expects at least 7,000 Cambodians to migrate to South Korea this year in what is being called a safer and more lucrative destination for overseas workers.

Of the five ASEAN states with permission to send labourers to Korea, Cambodia now ranks No 1, according to the Ministry’s Chief of Overseas Manpower Heng Sour.

He noted that remitted money goes to better the lives of relatives at home.

“We see this money they send home is used to build houses and buy new daily utilities and appliances,” he said, adding that there are now about 13,000 Cambodians working in South Korea.

Korea has earned a solid reputation for higher pay without the hazards associated with working in Malaysia, where rights groups have reported the abuse of maids, many of whom are believed to be under-age.

Cambodia first sent workers to South Korea in 2002 through private companies until 2007 when both governments signed a memorandum of understanding on labour exports.

Rin Saro, a Korean monk who runs a Buddhist centre in Seoul for meeting and sharing information about workers’ issues, said yesterday that Cambodian migrants mainly worked in heavy industry, agriculture and fishing.

To contact the reporter on this story: Rann Reuy at [email protected]