The Cambodian Embassy in South Korea yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Seongnam Migrant Community Service Centre on housework, language and culture skills training for Cambodian woman and children living there.

Long Dimanche, Cambodian Ambassador to South Korea, told Khmer Times yesterday that he signed the MoU to boost cooperation for the protection of the Cambodian community living in Seongnam city between the embassy and Seongnam Migrant Community Service Centre.

He said that there are nearly 10,000 Cambodian women who are married to Korean men and are living in South Korea with on average at least two children.

“The MoU will help to promote and strengthen Khmer and Korean culture. Sharing culture with each other will reduce any misunderstandings over family disputes,” he said.

He added that the MoU will also share skills and lessons on Khmer and Korean culture, morality such as housework, cooking and Khmer language to create closer ties between the people of both countries.

He added that the MoU will also promote the honour of Khmer women, while the Cambodian Embassy will always take care of Cambodians especially Khmer women.

However, he added that a small number of Khmer women face family disputes in South Korea.

“A lack of language knowledge, a lack of understanding of each other and cultural differences can cause family disputes, divorce and in some cases domestic violence,” he added.

He said the embassy never ignores such issues and will always cooperate with the relevant authorities to help Cambodian people and Khmer women who suffer from domestic violence.

The Cambodian government has lifted the former age restriction on foreign men wishing to marry Cambodian women which was introduced in 2011. From 2018 onwards, foreign men who are over 50 and have a monthly income of at least $2,500 may apply for marriage with a Cambodian woman

Seongnam Migrant Community Service Centre was established with private and public cooperation to improve the welfare of foreign residents by providing services such as consultations, education and health and cultural programmes. This centre welcomes, protects, supports and connects those who have come to South Korea. Their slogan reads: “We are all immigrants”.

• Tags: Cambodian embassy in South Korea, training