Thai, South Korean authorities join hands to tackle illegal workers
Korean immigration authorities open new door for ‘little ghosts’ to leave the country voluntarily without facing fines
The Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul and Korea Immigration Service (KIS) have been working closely to address the problem of Thai nationals entering South Korea as tourists to work in the country illegally, a term colloquially known as “Phi Noi” or “little ghosts”.
Thai ambassador Tanee Sangrat said on Friday that between November 2023 and March 2024, the KIS allowed foreigners residing in South Korea illegally to voluntarily leave the country without having to pay the fine. The Korean authority also helped facilitate their trip home by relaxing some immigration regulations, he added.
He said some 6,900 Thais registered to return to Thailand over that period, which resulted in the number of little ghosts remaining in South Korea declining to around 139,000 people.
Tanee said the success of the move prompted the KIS to extend the measure again this year from September 30 to November 30.
He explained that Thai illegal workers who voluntarily leave South Korea during said period can revisit the country for tourism purposes in the future.
The ambassador warned that illegal workers in South Korea would be fined hundreds of thousands baht if they were caught by local authorities. They would also be sent home with a record in their passport, making re-entering South Korea in the future much more difficult.
Employers of illegal workers would also be fined at a similar rate, said Tanee.
To register for a voluntary return, illegal workers must report to South Korea’s Justice Ministry at least three working days before the trip, with evidence including passport, air ticket, and letter of intent to leave the country.
Currently there are about 204,000 Thais in South Korea, 139,000 of them are illegal workers, 45,000 are legal workers, and some 20,000 are tourists.
