Another 7,000 Sri Lankans will be issued visas to work in South Korea during the second half of this year, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Miyon Lee stated.
Ambassador Miyon Lee stated that there were 25,000 Sri Lankan workers employed in Korea and by the end of this year, it will be increased to 32,000.
The new Korean Ambassador made the revelation when she called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees yesterday (July 25).
During the meeting, the Korean Ambassador stated that her country would work on a few new development projects in Sri Lanka in addition to early completion of the ongoing projects.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena urged her to look into the possibility of recruiting Sri Lankans under the seasonal agricultural workers scheme too, to which the Ambassador assured her government would consider the request.
The Prime Minister also urged her to take effective steps to resume some of the ongoing infrastructure development projects that were halted due to the economic crisis and the issue of debt restructuring.
The Ambassador agreed to consider the request made by the Prime Minister to assist projects on water treatment, sanitation, sewage disposal systems and dry zone agriculture.
Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawarden further stated that Korea has the opportunities now to invest in new sectors such as the production of agricultural machinery, medicine and medical equipment and renewable energy and fisheries sectors.
Ambassador Miyon Lee said she would also work on further enhancement of cultural and religious ties, educational exchanges and people-to-people relationships.
State Minister of Home Affairs Ashoka Priyantha, Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mahinda Gunaratne and First Secretary of the Korean Embassy Sohngyee Jung were also present on this occasion. (NewsWire)