Many enterprises in Vietnam, especially those in the north, are still struggling to find qualified interpreters and translators of the Korean language although they have offered generous salaries and allowances.

According to a senior executive of TCE Vina Denim Co Ltd based in Nam Dinh Province, the company has been unable to find appropriate candidates for the Korean interpreter position after months of hunting although it only requires a college diploma, one or two years of experience and basic computer skills.

In addition to the starting salary of VND10 million (US$440) a month, the company offers benefits such as extra shift allowance and year-end bonus.

On many recruitment websites, there are many vacancies for Korean interpreter and translator positions. According to Navigos Search, a leading provider of executive search and management consultancy services in Vietnam, the huge demand for Korean interpreters in the country follows the increased presence of Korean-invested companies in Vietnam.

The shortage is more severe in North Vietnam than in South Vietnam. Therefore, many companies in northern provinces have even hunted Korean-speaking workers who are living and working in the south.

Most sectors with Korean investment need Korean-speaking workers, but the electronics manufacturing sector has the largest demand. Most jobs in high demand include interpreters and assistants.

Navigos Search said one of the reasons for the shortage is the modest number of students studying Korean. Besides, most skilled Korean-speaking workers only want to develop their careers in big cities like Hanoi and HCMC, while many Korean-invested companies have their factories in other provinces for lower production and labor costs.

Some enterprises have turned their eyes to Vietnamese workers returning from Korea who know about Korean culture and working environment and have a good command of the Korean language.

These workers are often offered a salary of up to VND15 million or even VND20 million. However, according to the Hanoi Employment Service Center, many Vietnamese workers in Korea do not intend to return home after the end of their work contracts.

Director of the center Vu Quang Thanh said the center’s job fair organized in June could meet only 5-6% of demand of participating enterprises for Korean interpreters. The center has plans to organize another job fair on October 17 that will focus on Korean interpreter and translator jobs.

Vietnams is also struggling with the shortage of Korean-speaking tour guides.

According to data of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), there are current only 150 Korean-speaking tour guides nationwide, while the number of Korean visitors to the country last year surged 38.7% year-on-year to 1.54 million.

In the year to date, Vietnam has welcomed over 1.71 million Korean visitors, up 51.2% compared to the same period last year, resulting in a huge demand for Korean-speaking tour guides, especially in famous tourist destinations like HCMC, Hanoi and Danang.

SGT