Labor minister rejects calls to cut Cambodian worker quota after kidnappings

Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon speaks during a press conference with foreign correspondents at the Press Center in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon on Monday firmly rejected calls to cut the E-9 visa quota for Cambodian workers amid growing public anger over kidnappings and other crimes targeting Koreans in the Southeast Asian country.

At a press conference with foreign correspondents in Seoul, Kim rejected suggestions that the Cambodian government should be held accountable for the recent crimes involving its nationals or that Korea should reduce Cambodia’s E-9 labor quota in response.

“We have no plans to adjust Cambodia’s E-9 allocation at this time,” Kim said. He cautioned that unilaterally cutting quotas or restricting employment permits based on such isolated incidents could unfairly stigmatize Cambodian workers already residing and employed in Korea, while undermining bilateral labor relations.

His comments come as a wave of crimes targeting Korean citizens by Cambodia-based crime syndicates has sparked debate about the future of labor cooperation between the two nations. Since Korea signed a labor-sending agreement with Cambodia in 2006, the partner nation has become the second-largest source of E-9 workers under the Employment Permit System (EPS), following Nepal.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor reportedly reviewed whether any clauses in its memorandum of understanding with Cambodia could be applied in connection with the recent crisis surrounding criminal incidents in the country. The E-9 visa allows Korean employers to hire foreign workers in industries facing manpower shortages, including manufacturing, agriculture, fisheries and construction. For this year, the government set the total E-9 visa quota at 130,000.

Amid Korea’s shrinking workforce and growing regional depopulation, Kim described foreign workers as “indispensable partners in sustaining the nation’s economy and society.”

He said the Lee Jae Myung administration is committed to ensuring a stable, inclusive and safe environment where all workers, including noncitizens, can work free from discrimination.

“We are preparing a more systematic labor management framework and integrated support mechanism for foreign workers while continuing to reinforce protections for their rights and welfare,” he said.

Due to growing concerns over rising xenophobia and misinformation targeting foreign workers, particularly Chinese nationals, Kim reaffirmed that “all laborers deserve respect and every worker should be protected regardless of nationality or origin.”

He added, “Hate speech and prejudice based on national origin do not fall under freedom of expression but are crimes and cannot be tolerated.”

Responding to foreign media reports of rights violations — particularly employers in Korea illegally holding the passports of foreign workers — Kim acknowledged that such abuses persist and apologized on behalf of the government. He vowed stricter oversight and stronger safeguards to protect whistleblowers from retaliation.

“We would establish reporting channels, including cooperation with civic groups, to ensure migrant workers’ voices are heard and their concerns addressed effectively,” he said.

On other labor matters, Kim discussed the newly passed "yellow envelope law," a landmark amendment to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act set to take effect in late March 2026. Approved by the National Assembly in August, the legislation seeks to narrow wage disparities between big companies and subcontracted or indirectly employed workers by expanding collective bargaining rights and redefining employer liability.

Under the new law, subcontracted workers will be allowed to negotiate directly with parent companies that exert “significant control” over their working conditions, such as safety and workload. It also broadens the definition of valid labor disputes to include restructuring and mass layoffs and restricts employers from suing unions for damage resulting from lawful strikes, an area of concern for many foreign investors.

Kim called the law a vital step toward reducing Korea’s economic polarization.

“These (wage) disparities largely stem from the divide between parent companies and their subcontractors,” Kim said. “When a quality labor supply is not adequate for subcontractors, it can undermine overall industrial productivity. In that sense, the yellow envelope law is a structural step toward bridging the gap between major corporations and their partners.”