"We urge the workers who overstayed or violated their contracts to come back home voluntarily. They will get the chance to re-enter Korea, but if they are caught by the Korean authorities, they will not be allowed ever," South Korean Ambassador in Bangladesh Suk-Bum Park said yesterday.

He talked to The Daily Star on the sidelines of an orientation programme organised by Bangladesh Overseas Employment Services Limited (BOESL) at its auditorium where a Korean delegation talked about the newly introduced EPS programme in front of the job seekers in Korea.

There are nearly 12,000 Bangladeshi workers in Korea at present, although the country stopped hiring workers from Bangladesh four years back following widespread allegations that the recruiting agencies in Bangladesh charge too high for the migration of the workers.

The Korean ambassador observed that since the Bangladeshi workers had to pay a huge amount to get to Korea, they tended to overstay to pay back the debts at home.

"The workers, if come back willingly, will not face any problems, but if they are caught, they will be forced to return," he said.

The ambassador said that Korea has decided to hire 4,000 workers from Bangladesh initially, but the size of the workers will be increased in the years to come.

Korean Labour Ministry's Deputy Director Hwang Hyo-Jung in her presentation said that the migration cost under the EPS system will be around $700 to $800, but it will be finalised in consultation with both the countries.

"This time, the workers can go to Korea only through BOESL, and nobody should communicate with any other private recruiting agencies," she said.

Those interested to go to South Korea will have to undergo a Korean language proficiency test, which will be conducted in Bangladesh by the Korean labour ministry, Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Secretary Abdul Matin Chowdhury said.

Only those who will pass the test will be included in the roster, he said adding that the workers will then have to fill in a form with detailed information about them and desired salaries. Only the workers selected by the South Korean employers will be sent.

South Korea will hire workers for sectors like agriculture, construction, fisheries and other services, he said adding that they cannot say exactly how many workers South Korea will take.

Human Resources Department (HRD) Director Park Chan-Seop, HRD Assistant Manager Nam Young Kyung, BOESL Managing Director Mahbubur Rahman and officials from Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training were present.