Factors affecting the employment of Thai workers in the EPS in the small and medium-sized industrial sector of South Korea

Abstract

The objective of this thesis is to study factors affecting employment permit system for foreign workers or EPS in the small and medium-sized manufacturing industry in South Korea. It focuses on the significance of employment and renewal of the employment contract of Thai labors after completion of three years’ work. The secondary data in this thesis are collected from various academic papers and the internet while the primary data are obtained from in-depth interviews with the director of the Human Resources Development Service of Korea, EPS center in Thailand and the Ministry of Labor that holds TOPIK test. It also includes questionnaires responded by certain numbers of Korean employers who employ foreign workers in EPS and have business in the small and medium-sized manufacturing industry in South Korea. The results showed that the factors affecting the employment of Thai labors that already pass the Korean language test, according to Korean employers, include gender, age and educational level. The factors affecting the renewal of employment contract after completion of three years’ work, according to the Human Resources Development Service of Korea, EPS center in Thailand and Korean employers, consist of four main elements: the ability to communicate in Korean, the skill at work, behavior and performance. In addition, Korean employers have commented that most Thai labors could barely understand Korean. Therefore, employers suggest that Thai labors receive proper Korean language training and knowledge about Korean culture, rules and work regulations as well as acquire more understanding when faced with 3D works in Korea to avoid any problems in the workplace and personal problems after working in Korea.