Illustrative image. (Photo: VNA)

A seminar aimed at improving the effectiveness of management activities and supporting labourers in the fishing industry was organised by the Labour Management Board and the Vietnamese Embassy in the Republic of Korea (RoK) on November 29.

Attending the seminar were representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK, the Labour Management Board (LMB) as well as those of the Korea Fisheries Association, businesses and the Korea Support Centre for Foreign Workers.

According to Ta Thi Thanh Thuy, head of the LMB, currently, there are 17 Vietnamese enterprises engaged in providing crew members for fishing boats in RoK. The total number of Vietnamese labourers working in the RoK under E-10 visa is 8,602.

Vietnamese crew members are highly appreciated by RoK ship owners for their skills and ability. However, enterprises believed that the seafarer labour market is facing strong competition from other countries. Many ship owners are ready to accept those from some countries due to the poor discipline of Vietnamese crew members.

Limitations of language are also a reason for differences in the work and life of the crew members.

Participants at the seminar pointed out that the situation of workers in the fishing industry breaking their employment contracts to work illegally needs to be solved. It is blamed on a big gap between the income of contract workers and illegal ones.

According to RoK’s C&P Company, it is very important to coordinate with Vietnamese companies in the recruitment process. Seafarers have not been properly given orientations about the characteristics of each profession operating at sea, so they cannot choose the one that is suitable for their physical strength, leading to dissatisfaction after entering the country, it said, suggesting that crew members should be equipped with the essential knowledge to avoid any contradiction that might arise between ship owners and crew members.

Kim Jae Man from Korea Fisheries Association proposed that relevant Vietnamese agency, as well as labour supply enterprises, strengthen orientation education for workers to reduce the rate of illegal labourers./.