South Korean Ambassador Woonjin Jeong, said he was impressed by the effective measures implemented by Sri Lanka to deter the spread of COVID-19 and Sri Lanka is one of the safest countries to live in at present.

The Ambassador has expressed these views when a delegation of Sri Lankan migrant workers met him at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea on Tuesday.

In a statement, the Embassy said the Ambassador mentioned that he believed Korea to be the safest country in the world amid COVID-19, before arriving in Sri Lanka.

“Upon arrival in Sri Lanka in July, I was impressed by the effective measures implemented by the Government of Sri Lanka to deter the spread of COVID-19. Sri Lanka is one of the safest countries to live in at present. It is remarkable how there was no single COVID-19 case from Sri Lankan workers repatriated from Korea and Korean residents in Sri Lanka as well,” he said.

Envoy Woonjin met the delegation of 11 Sri Lankan migrant workers representing the first batch of 22 workers who would be travelling to the Republic of Korea.

The Ambassador congratulated the migrant workers and expressed his appreciation for their contribution to uplift the economies of both countries.

He reiterated the significance of the Sri Lankan migrant workers to the Republic of Korea and emphasized that their precious contribution is a bridge that bolsters the ties between the two countries. He also stated that he had met several Sri Lankan employees in Korea and was deeply moved by their skills and performance.

Approximately 23,000 Sri Lankan workers are employed in Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS).

The Ambassador expressed his gratitude towards the Country Director of the EPS centre in facilitating the departure of the Sri Lankan migrant workers amid the corona virus pandemic.

He further assured the aspiring migrants that the Republic of Korea is maintaining a strong policy of equal pay for equal work, which applies to both Korean nationals and Sri Lankan nationals. He expressed his hope to expand the number of Sri Lankan migrant workers recruited in Korea in the near future.

He stated that “All Sri Lankan migrant workers are civilian diplomats” on Korean soil, who contribute to strengthening the relations between the two countries.