Sinhala online website in Korea to hear petitions from Lankans

Rasika SOMARATHNA

The Korean government added an online petition and discussion portal in the Sinhala language to the e-People - Korea’s major online communication channel between the government and the people enabling Sri Lankans working in South Korea to submit their complaints and suggestions to the Korean authorities in their own language.

The Korean Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) runs the online web service named e-People, which gathers civil complaints, petitions and suggestions for the Korean government.

The ACRC hopes to help Sri Lankans residing in Korea to submit complaints and comments to the government in their native language with the addition of an online petition and discussion portal in the Sinhala language.

“This act is a significant way forward to minimise communication barriers between the government and citizens, especially for the 23,000 plus Sri Lankans living in Korea who may feel language is an issue that prevents them from articulating their opinions and concerns. Earlier, issues and concerns may have remained unresolved or had to go through a complicated procedure due to language barriers,” Sri Lankan ambassador to Seoul Tissa Wijeratne said during a ceremony at the embassy to celebrate the launch of the e-People service in Sinhala.

He said: “During my one and half years as ambassador, I have lent an ear to stories of Sri Lankan workers. The launch of the Sinhala language service will be a great advantage, especially for Sri Lankan migrant workers in Korea to submit their grievances to the Korean Government authorities in their mother tongue, which will promote understanding and trust.

“The e-People service will further build an open and friendly society between the Korean government and Sri Lankans and strengthen the relations between the two countries.”

ACRC chairman Lee Sung-bo said: “We pledge to make consistent efforts to build a clean and transparent nation in which everyone has equal rights and opportunities. I hope this will improve the brotherly relationship between the two nations.”

Civil petitions or complaints can be filed by logging on to the e-People website (www.epeople.go.kr) and clicking on the Sri Lankan flag icon. The number of Sri Lankan’s migrating for jobs in South Korea increased considerably in recent times. Last year, 5,346 persons migrated for employment to Korea.

South Korea is a popular work destination for many Lankan youths due to higher wages and better working conditions in comparison to certain other labour receiving countries.