Before landing in Korea, Sri Lankan college students are neighbors and friends just like those we encounter in any parts of the world.

But once they enter Korean border, they are treated as migrant workers who are forced to work restlessly with no holidays and unable to choose their own workplaces.

Sri Lankan migrant workers laboring in coastal fishing with a fisheries employment permit

Lee Eun-seo, an inviting lecturer from Suhyup(National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives) who is in charge of offering information on Korean working life and local labor laws to newcomers, and the Sri Lankan young workers who entered Korea with an employment permit in fisheries jobs. The visa is only valid when they work in the designated industry.

Lee Soon-hee, a KOICA volunteer who teaches Korean language at Technical College Kegalle, poses with her students. They learn Korean in hopes of passing TOPIK exam and receiving an employment permit.

This documentary portrays the life of migrant workers through voices of Lee Eun-seo, an inviting lecturer from Suhyup(National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives) who’s in charge of offering interpretations and education on Korean labor policies, and Lee Soon-hee, a KOICA volunteer who teaches Korean language in Sri Lanka.

It looks into realities the migrant workers face in Korean workplaces, and why they want to work in Korea.

Kim Sunghwan, an award-winning director, led production of this documentary. Many of his pieces were prized at Seoul International Documentary Film Festival, Seoul Human Rights Festival and Busan International Film Festival.

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Written by Kim Bo-young

Video by Park Joo-hwan, Kim Sunghwan

Interpretation/Translation : Lee Eun-seo, Lee Soon-hee, Chathurika