KUALA LUMPUR - South Korea’s refusal to cut the quota of Cambodian migrant workers despite recent crimes involving Cambodian nationals highlights the government’s effort to separate criminal incidents from its broader migration policy. 

Labour Minister Kim Young-hoon said the E-9 visa allocation for Cambodia would remain unchanged under the Employment Permit System (EPS), which governs the entry of low-skilled workers from 16 partner countries across Asia.

“We have no plans to adjust Cambodia’s E-9 allocation at this time,” he said, as reported by The Korea Herald.

Kim said restricting work permits based on isolated cases could unfairly stigmatise Cambodian workers and strain bilateral cooperation on labour mobility.

“Unilateral measures based on individual cases could stigmatise an entire group of people and hurt bilateral relations,” he said.

The E-9 visa allows migrants to work in sectors such as manufacturing, construction and agriculture, which are heavily dependent on foreign labour amid Korea’s ageing population and regional depopulation.

He added that foreign workers are vital partners in sustaining local economies and the government must uphold human rights and equal protection for all migrant workers.

“Foreign labourers are indispensable partners in sustaining our industries and communities.

“All labourers deserve respect, and every worker should be protected regardless of nationality or origin. Hate speech and prejudice based on national origin cannot be tolerated,” he added.

The debate follows a rise in crimes by Cambodia-based syndicates targeting Koreans, which has fuelled anti-migrant sentiment online.

Kim said the government would instead focus on strengthening oversight and protection mechanisms for foreign workers, signalling Seoul’s commitment to maintaining regional labour mobility while tackling public anxiety over migration.