Phnom Penh: Mr. Heng Sour, Minister of Labor and Vocational Training, received a courtesy call and working discussion with Mr. KIM Chang Yong, the new Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Cambodia, at the Ministry’s office on the morning of April 21, 2026, to discuss promoting labor rights and exploring opportunities to increase cooperation on human resource development, labor dispatch, and creating a better environment for investors.
On that occasion, the Minister warmly welcomed and congratulated Mr. Kim Chang-yong on his appointment as the Korean Ambassador to Cambodia, and thanked Korea for always providing quotas and facilitating visas for Cambodian workers to work on time according to the needs of Korean employers, especially during the busy agricultural season in Korea. This opportunity has made Korea a dream destination for Cambodians, with kind-hearted employers, high wages to improve their families’ livelihoods, and return with clear skills.
He highlighted Korea’s strong ties and important contributions to Cambodia’s development, especially in infrastructure development, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), occupational safety and health, development of employment services and digital systems, as well as social security and rehabilitation sectors, etc. In fact, on April 20, the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training and KOICA signed a memorandum of understanding on the “Skilled Workforce Development Project to Meet Industrial Demands in Cambodia”.
At the same time, he also mentioned the joint efforts between the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Interior of Cambodia to strengthen mechanisms to prevent online crimes As well as restricting the issuance of work permits to foreigners without a clear source company to reduce the vulnerability of foreign workers, including Koreans, to labor exploitation.
In response, Mr. Kim Chang-yong said that he was honored and pleased with his diplomatic mission in Cambodia. A country with a long history and rich and diverse culture, the good relations between the two countries will reach their 30th anniversary in 2027.
He also highly appreciated the long-term vision of the Royal Government of Cambodia as well as the Ministry of Labor, which is implementing the Pentagon Strategy – Phase 1 Actively, especially in the field of human resource development.
The Ambassador expressed his deep gratitude to the Royal Government of Cambodia and Mr. Heng Sour for their high regard for Korean investors and citizens in Cambodia, as well as Cambodian workers in Korea, through their personal visits, which truly demonstrated friendship with Korea, especially the establishment of the Cambodia-Korea Joint Working Group last year. 2025.
In light of the success of this working group, both parties also agreed to establish a working group on existing mechanisms to address some of the challenges between employers and workers. Both sides expressed their pleasure at the constructive discussions and pledged to do their utmost to continue to strengthen and expand closer bilateral cooperation in the field of employment, with the firm belief that this strong partnership will continue to bring tangible benefits and development to the people of both countries.
