Thousands of Vietnamese workers compete in South Korean language exam

By Hoang Phuong, Vo Hai October 9, 2016 | 08:17 pm PT

Only 10 percent of the 21,600 workers who sat the exam will be selected to work in S Korea.

About 21,600 Vietnamese workers sat a South Korean language exam in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Nghe An Province on September 8 and 9.

This is the first time a South Korean language test has been held in the country after South Korea in May agreed in principle to a memorandum of understanding to receive 3,500 workers from Vietnam this year.

Vietnam began sending workers to South Korea in 1993, but the latter stopped receiving Vietnamese workers in August 2012 due to the high rate of laborers who overstayed their visas. The trade resumed in 2013 but is limited by agreements reached by both countries on an annual basis.

The exam was jointly organized by Vietnam’s Center of Overseas Labor and the Human Resources Development Service of Korea.

More than 10,000 workers, most of whom are below 20, attend the test in two universities in the capital, the Hanoi University of Industry and University of Labor and Social Affairs.

More than 10,000 workers, most of whom below 20, attended the Hanoi University of Industry and the University of Labor and Social Affairs in the capital.

Attendees must show up before 7 a.m. Tran Thi Nhat Le, a 20-year-old female worker from the northern province of Bac Giang, more than 50 km from Hanoi, came to the test site early. She said she wanted to test her language level through the competition to know if she is qualified to be accepted to work in South Korea. It is hard to be able to go to work in South Korea as too many people vie for limited positions, Le said.

Attendees were required to show up before 7 a.m. Tran Thi Nhat Le, a 20-year-old female worker from the northern province of Bac Giang, more than 50km from Hanoi, arrived at the test site early. She said she wanted to test her language skills to see if she was qualified to work in South Korea. “It is difficult to get a chance to work in South Korea as there are too many people competing for a limited number of positions,” Le said.

Security forces check attendee cards before letting workers in. If passed this time, the test results of the workers will be valid in two years. Those who fail this time are able to attend another test in November.

Security forces check registration cards before letting workers in. If they pass the exam, the results will be valid in two years. Those who fail will have another chance to sit the exam in November.

Only attendee cards are allowed to be brought to test rooms.

A registration card.

Attendees are checking their names and test rooms. The competition of the test is as fierce as admission tests to colleges and universities in Vietnam. Some even could not wait in queue, trying to cross the wall from the other side to be able to check their names and test rooms early.

Attendees are checking their names and test rooms. The competition test is as fierce as admission tests for colleges and universities in Vietnam. Some people didn't bother queuing and tried to climb over to check for their names and test rooms early.

Attendees are queuing to enter the test rooms. Dang Sy Dung, deputy director of Vietnams Department of Overseas labor management, said the South Korea side sets the exam questions and mark the exam. The exam questions are confidential and are sent from South Korea, thus, no individual and organization are able to interfere in the exam results. Therefore, laborers should not put their trust on anyone who pledges to change the exam results, Dung warned.

Attendees queue to enter their test rooms. Dang Sy Dung, deputy director of Vietnam’s Department of Overseas Labor Management, said the South Korean side sets the exam questions and marks the exam. The exam questions are confidential and are sent from South Korea so no individual or organization is able to interfere with the exam results. Laborers should not trust anyone who says they can change the exam results, Dung warned.

Attendees are checked to make sure they do not carry with them any electronic device.

Attendees are checked to make sure they are not carrying electronic devices.

Some, however, intentionally cover their mobile phones in silver paper to bring in the exam rooms.

Some, however, intentionally cover their mobile phones in foil so they can carry them into the exam rooms.

Nguyen Tien Tung, chief inspector from Vietnams Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social affairs, is inspecting an exam room. Attendees will complete the test by answering 50 multiple choice questions. Each is given an answer sheet.

Nguyen Tien Tung, chief inspector from Vietnam’s Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social affairs, inspects an exam room. Attendees were given 50 multiple choice questions to answer.

Some mobile phones are covered in pieces of rubber tires and thrown into the exam rooms. Attendees who are found violating the exam regulations will be banned from sitting the test in two years.

Some mobile phones were covered in pieces of rubber for protection and thrown into the exam rooms. Attendees who violated the exam regulations were banned from sitting the test for two years.

> Vietnam stops 10 provinces from exporting laborers to South Korea