The Minister of Employment and Labour of the Republic of Korea Lee Ki-Kweon with Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Employment Thalatha Atukorale in Seoul on Thursday 18 May 2017

The Minister of Foreign Employment of Sri Lanka Thalatha Atukorale with the President of the Human Resources 

Development Service of Korea (HRD) Prof. Park Young-bum in Seoul on Thursday 18 May 2017.

The Minister of Foreign Employment of Sri Lanka Thalatha Atukorale with the President of the Human Resources 

Development Service of Korea (HRD) Prof. Park Young-bum in Seoul on Thursday 18 May 2017.

The Minister of Foreign Employment of Sri Lanka Thalatha Atukorale with the President of the National Federation of 

Fishery Cooperatives (Suhyup) Kim Im-Kweon at the Suhyup headquarters in Seoul on Thursday 18 May 2017.

The Minister of Foreign Employment of Sri Lanka Thalatha Atukorale with Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Manisha Gunasekera on a visit to Samwon Printing Co. Ltd in Gimpo city on where the Minister was greeted by 

the CEO of Samwon Printing and Sri Lankan workers on Wednesday 17 May 2017 

The Minister of Foreign Employment of Sri Lanka Thalatha Atukorale meeting with the Sri Lankan workers on a visit to Wonsan Fish Farm in Gimpo city on Wedneday 17 May 2017. 

Minister Thalatha Atukorale discusses cooperation in employment sector during visit to the Republic of Korea

The Minister of Foreign Employment of Sri Lanka Thalatha Atukorale discussed cooperation in the employment sector 

in relation to Sri Lankan workers under the Employment Permit System (EPS) in the Republic of Korea during her 

meeting with the Korean Minister of Employment and Labour Lee Ki-kweon on Thursday 18 May 2017 in Seoul.  

Minister Atukorale expressed her deep appreciation to the Korean Government for the employment opportunities 

provided to Sri Lankan workers under the EPS and for the continued support extended therein.  Minister Lee 

appreciated the mutually beneficial collaboration under EPS, acknowledging its importance to Sri Lanka – Korea 

bilateral relations.   Reference was also made to the strengthening of employment relations when the two countries 

celebrate 40 years of diplomatic relations this year.

During the visit, Minister Atukorale also met with the President of Human Resources Development Service of Korea

(HRD) Prof. Park Young-bum and the Chairman of the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives (Suhyup) 

Kim Im-kweon and discussed issues related to employment and welfare of Sri Lankan workers in Korea in 

manufacturing, construction and fisheries sectors.  She appreciated the strong support extended by HRD for the 

welfare of Sri Lankan workers.  Special attention was paid to discussion of issues relevant to Sri Lankan workers in 

the fisheries sector.  

During discussions, Minister Atukorale also briefed Korean interlocutors on action taken by the Sri Lankan 

Government with the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLBFE) as the sending agency, to further 

streamline the recruitment process, to reduce illegal stay by Sri Lankan workers after completion of contract, 

and the mandatory pre-departure training introduced for workers in the fisheries sector.  The Korean Government 

appreciated efforts made by Sri Lanka in this regard.

Minister Atukorale also visited a manufacturing (printing) company and a fish farm in Gimpo city on Wednesday 

17 May where she met with the Korean CEOs and Sri Lankan workers, examined factories / work sites and 

discussed working conditions with the Sri Lankan workers. 

Minister Atukorale’s visit also entailed participation as chief guest in two Sri Lanka promotional events, a food 

festival and a dance performance, organised by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Seoul with the Millennium Seoul Hilton 

and the Korea Foundation, on 17 and 19 May, respectively, to celebrate 40 years of diplomatic relations between 

Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea.   

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in the Republic of Korea Manisha Gunasekera; Member of the Board of Directors 

of SLBFE Neville Karunarathne; Counsellor (Employment and Welfare) Jagath Batugedara and staff of the 

Sri Lanka Embassy were associated with the visit.  Approximately 25,000 Sri Lankan workers are employed 

in Korea under the EPS.

Embassy of Sri Lanka

Seoul, Republic of Korea

23. 05. 2017