Health workers carry out disinfection in RoK (Photo: Reuters)
According to Mr. Nguyen Gia Liem, Deputy Head of the Department of Overseas Labor Management under the Ministry of Labor, War-Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), RoK now has over 48,000 Vietnamese workers working legally and about 11,000 Vietnamese people working and residing illegally. In Japan, there are currently over 250,000 legal Vietnamese employees and about 9,000 illegal Vietnamese workers.
“Up to now, according to the reports of the Vietnamese Labour Management Boards in RoK and Japan and through diplomatic channels, we have not recorded any cases of Vietnamese workers in Japan or RoK being infected with COVID-19," said Mr Liem.
The Department continues to direct the Vietnamese Labour Management Boards in RoK and Japan to continue to closely monitor the situation, follow information on Vietnamese laborers and helping them be assured, take initiative in how to prevent the epidemic as prescribed. However, the department also builds scenarios and plans to report to MOLISA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to have a united plan if the worst situation happens.
The Department, under the direction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnamese Embassies in RoK and Japan and the Vietnamese Labor Management Boards in the two countries, has also opened citizen protection hotlines, which are available 24/24 hours and ready to take measures to support and protect citizens in case of necessity.
The embassies have taken initiative in establishing contact with leaders of communities in the epidemic-hit areas to regularly update the situation and timely support citizens. They have contacted and encouraged Vietnamese citizens living in the epidemic-hit area to strictly follow the recommendations of the local authorities.
Before the increasingly complicated situation of COVID-19 epidemic in Japan, the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan has asked Vietnamese citizens in the country to take initiative to apply measures to prevent and control the disease.
Citizens suspected to be infected with COVID-19 are requested to go to local health facilities for examination and treatment, and immediately contact the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate General in Japan for assistance. The hotline of the embassy is: +8180-3590-9136; Fax: +8133466-3312. The hotline of Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare: 0120-565653./.