Predicted Threatened By Economic Recession, South Korea Still Accepts Indonesian Migrant Workers

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) stated that until now South Korea (South Korea) is still accepting the placement of Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) even though in a report the country occupies the third position with a 25 percent chance of experiencing an economic recession.

Head of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) Benny Rhamdani in Jakarta, Sunday, said South Korea had so far not given any warning regarding BP2MI's plan to dispatch PMI candidates to the country on Sunday night.

"As long as there is no warning from the (South) Korean government, it means that it is still safe to enter foreign workers (TKA) into their territory," said Benny.

Previously, on July 6, Bloomberg reported the results of a Recession Probability Forecast survey that said South Korea and Japan were in the third and fourth positions behind Sri Lanka and New Zealand, with a 25 percent probability of a recession.

"We are certainly wary. But as long as it is related to placement, (South) Korea has not stated that there is a ban on foreign workers entering Korea (South), meaning it is still safe," said Benny, quoted from ANTARA, Sunday, July 17.

The total number of PMI candidates leaving for South Korea has reached 4,169 people since 2021 after being delayed by two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 469 people then departed again for South Korea on Sunday night, from a four-star hotel in the Kelapa Gading area, North Jakarta.

PMI candidates come from all over Indonesia, such as East Java and Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, to go to South Korea, some want to go to Gwangju, some to Busan.

Also attending the event, Head of the Research and Human Resources Agency of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries I Nyoman Radiarta.

Benny collaborated with officials from ministries/institutions with the intention of paying proper respect to PMI candidates as heroes of this country's foreign exchange.

Because based on the foreign exchange contributed by PMI is the second largest after the oil and gas sector, which is IDR 159.6 trillion annually.

"The tourism sector is only the third largest foreign exchange earner, the second largest foreign exchange earner is PMI, which is 159.6 trillion. So they give this country so much, but we give them a small amount," said Benny.