Korea is a shipbuilding powerhouse. In the Jeollanam-do region, there are large shipyards, especially in Yeongam and Haenam. At first glance, shipbuilding seems like a place to build ships, and it seems like they build one big thing all at once, but it is a thorough division of labor system. As you can see if you visit a shipbuilding place, the process is divided into detailed stages, starting from the steel plate stage, to the block stage where it is attached, to painting, insulation, etc., until the ship owner receives the order and delivers it. There are countless stages, countless tasks. In this field where domestic workers have left, some migrant workers are doing the work instead. Following Eddie, who had an E-9 visa last week, we introduce Mr. Bhupendra, who is working as an industrial force. ** This is how migrant workers come in 1. Mr. Bhupendra came to Korea with an E-9 visa. This is his second time. The first time was when he worked on pipes and returned to Nepal, and he is a Korean with experience who came back to Korea after the COVID-19 period. Mr. Bhupendra passed the EPS TOPIK test and came in. He said he wanted to work in manufacturing, but ended up in the shipbuilding industry. ** This is how it works. 2. Shipbuilding Among them, Bhupendra's job is insulation work. He attaches insulation materials to places that need to maintain constant heat, such as engine rooms and pipes. The work is not particularly difficult. It's just cutting insulation materials appropriately and attaching them to ceilings, walls, and pipes. However, some days, he has to look up at the sky all the time, and on other days, he has to crouch down and work all the time. The heat is a bonus. Bhupendra, who lives in a high-altitude area in Nepal, says that winter is better than summer at the shipyard. ** Fierce competition to enter Korea 3. They say there are so many Korean language schools in Nepal. The number of people taking the test to enter Korea and the competition rate are also high. It is ranked in the top 3 among 17 countries that implement the employment permit system. In 2023, it is said that about 75,000 people took the EPS TOPIK test to enter Korea. Bhupendra also said that he got in despite the extremely competitive test rate. And twice. By the way, during the Corona period, he worked as a Korean teacher in Nepal based on his experience in Korea. ** Passed the exam, but forgot all the Korean? 4. He studied hard and earned the honor of passing the exam. However, he cannot enter Korea right away. Also, not everyone can enter. This is because employers need to have a process for hiring these people. However, this system where you have to wait more than a year after taking the exam does not seem efficient. It is a structure where you end up forgetting all the Korean you studied hard and mastered. Bhupendra also said that it was difficult when he first came to Korea. First of all, after passing the exam, you cannot help but forget Korean, and even if you studied without forgetting, the Korean you learned sounded different from the local Korean. He said that he learned the dialects and terms again after coming to Korea. What if there is a certain quota and only the number of people who pass the quota are brought in? There are many ideas for improving the system, but many things need to be considered before it can be implemented, so it seems like it will take some time for it to be improved. ** The shipbuilding industry is good for visa improvement, environment, and infrastructure. 5. Still, the shipbuilding industry seems to be doing pretty well for migrant workers. This is because the company teaches Korean, and there are social integration programs and various consultations necessary for visa improvement. If you study more and have the will to develop yourself, you can do it. Bhupendra also had a strong desire to study. He never misses studying Korean after work. ** Can we become friends? 6. Bhupendra is involved in various social activities. He participates in neighborhood cleanups every time, participates in events related to Nepal, and participates in the immigrant monitoring group run by Yeongam County. He believes that we can become good friends if we think from the other person’s perspective and make an extra effort. His efforts to learn about Korean culture that he didn’t know about are amazing. ** Bhupendra’s dream that he wants to achieve someday 7. Bhupendra temporarily put aside his job as a teacher in Nepal to come to Korea. However, he says his ultimate dream is to teach what he knows. Later, if he extends his visa (from E-9 to E-7-4), he will work hard, and if not, he will return to Nepal and open a Korean language school in Kathmandu someday. This is Bhupendra's dream. I hope that dream comes true. In the end, it doesn't matter whether you are a foreigner or a Korean. From what I've seen, it's not about whether you are a foreigner or a Korean, but rather, it's about an individual who was born as a human being, with their own dreams, and who runs toward those dreams. In the end, aren't we all Earthlings? I hope Bhupendra's dream comes true someday. #nepal #workers #ship #koreawork #foreignworker #nepalvlog #korean #migrantworkers #visa