Interpretation Support Centre for Migrant Workers
- Responsible Organisations: Korea International Labour Foundation (KOILAF) (Civil society)
- ILO Regions: Asia and the Pacific
- Country(ies): Korea, Republic of
- Thematic areas: Protection
- MLFLM: 8.; 9.(a),(b),(c); 11.
Description
In 2006, the Korea International Labour Foundation (KOILAF) established the Interpretation Support Centre for Foreign Workers, which provided interpretation services free of charge in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Mongolian, Thai, Russian, and Indonesian, as well as an automatic answering system accessible from anywhere in Korea. The service used a three-way call system which simultaneously connected foreign workers and whoever they wished to communicate with to a specialised interpreter at KOILAF. The Centre provided interpretation and counselling on labour-related issues such as wages, labour contracts, industrial safety and accident compensation, as well as on issues related to living in Korea, such as entry and departure, medical services, remittance transfer services, or laws and regulations. The Centre was also able to assist in resolving disputes between migrant workers and their employers. During the first two years of its operation, the Centre received 81,635 requests for interpretation and counselling or an average of 170 requests per day. Thirty-six per cent of requests were made by migrants. The programme ended in 2008, but continues to serve as a good practice both in terms of information provision and overcoming communication barriers.
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