Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament yesterday that E-09 and E-07 are the only two valid categories of visas issued for Sri Lankans to work in Korea stating that the E-09 visa is available through the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Korea and Sri Lanka for Sri Lankans to work in Korea while the E-07 visa is specially assigned for Sri Lankan businessmen to engage in business activities in Korea.

In response to a question raised by MP Lakmali Hemachandra, Herath said the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLFEB) has not been informed nor have mediated in any way regarding the issuance of E-08 category of visa stating that since Sri Lankans who went to Korea for employment under E-08 visa category are not registered with the SLFEB it is unknown as to how many have travelled to Korea using E 08 visa and there is no way to find out if any of those workers fell into trouble.

The Minister said that the SLFEB can only intervene about the Sri Lankan workers in Korea who are registered with the Bureau and since the E-08 visa category is not registered legally the SLFEB cannot intervene on those who used the E-08 visa type. He said that the Sri Lankan Government does not recognize the E 08 visa category as a valid visa for Sri Lankans to work in Korea.

Minister Herath said that MoUs are signed between Sri Lanka and other countries for Sri Lankans to travel for employment in them through the SLFEB which must be approved by the Cabinet and none of the MoUs will be valid without the Cabinet approval. He said that the MoU signed by former Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara for the E-08 visa category for Korean job opportunities is an illegal MoU.

The Minister said former Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara has personally signed the illegal MoU with the Mayor of Wando Province County in Korea and the minister did not even read it before signing it. He said that these E-08 visas have been issued by the Korean Embassy stating that the Korean Justice Ministry has instructed them to issue the E-08 visas. He said that the illegal MoU related to the E-08 visa system was not available at the SLFEB and that an MoU was found in a separate place in the Ministry where Manusha Nanayakkara served as Minister.

He said that the relevant E-08 MoU was the one prepared between Pakistan and Korea which has been used for Sri Lanka errantly, which states that if a worker is in distress, the place where compensation is made has been named as Pakistan and also states that in the event of worker’s death while on duty, procedures and expenses for returning to Pakistan must be consulted with the Pakistan Embassy in Korea, and it is confirmed that the Minister has not read the relevant MoU. Minister Herath emphasised that under this illegal MoU, there is no possibility of sending Sri Lankan youth to Korea and there is no possibility of intervening if young people go abroad and face hardship under the E-08 visa system and said that Sri Lankan workers will be no longer sent to Korea under this illegal E-08 visa system and the Government expects the Foreign Ministry to prepare a relief programme for those affected under this.

(dailynews.lk)

(This story, originally published by dailynews.lk  has not been edited by SLM staff)