The trial regarding corruption in Vietnam's overseas employment permits has brought the process of sending workers to South Korea into focus. Allegations have emerged in court that dispatch companies charged workers excessive fees, managing these funds off the books, which are linked to bribery involving bureaucrats overseeing overseas employment permits and the E7 visa process for South Korea.
On August 19, local media including VnExpress reported that the Hanoi People's Court conducted hearings for 28 defendants charged in connection with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and related companies. Prosecutors allege that Nguyen Ba Hoan, former Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, and Tong Hai Nam, former Director of the Overseas Labor Management Department, received over 300 billion dong (approximately $16 million) in bribes by intentionally complicating the overseas employment dispatch approval process.
Hoan acknowledged in court on August 18 that he received money but claimed that all procedures were conducted according to regulations. He stated that two overseas manpower dispatch companies requested expedited reviews related to the E7 visa process for South Korea and that he received money from company representatives as a token of appreciation. However, he maintained that all subsequent paperwork was processed according to the rules.
Hoan admitted that the 57 billion dong he received in three instances from the companies was wrong and constituted bribery. However, he defended the 100 billion dong he received during holidays and celebrations, arguing that other officials also receive gifts from nearby companies, calling it a cultural practice.
The issue of excessive fees charged to workers during the dispatch process is also a major point of contention in this case. The Vietnamese overseas employment agency, Sona, dispatched 1,576 workers abroad from 2021 to 2024, with 482 heading to South Korea.
Prosecutors allege that Sona's Chairman Nguyen Duc Nam and General Director Nguyen Thi Quyen Nga instructed that each worker be charged between $1,900 and $5,500 above the national standard. Investigations revealed that the company only reported the official fees listed in contracts to the accounting department, while the excess amounts were managed separately. The off-the-books funds identified by prosecutors amount to 292 billion dong, resulting in a tax loss of over 24 billion dong. Prosecutors believe this money was used for external activity expenses, overseas intermediary fees, and domestic collaborator costs.
A similar scheme was identified at another overseas manpower dispatch company, Incub3, which sent 293 workers to South Korea from 2022 to 2024. Prosecutors allege that representative Nguyen Van Dinh received between $500 and $1,000 more per worker than the national standard, failing to account for these amounts in financial records and tax filings. The off-the-books funds at Incub3 exceed 60 billion dong, with a tax loss estimated at 4.32 billion dong.
Company representatives acknowledged the separate management of excess fees but claimed that some did not personally benefit from the funds. Investigators did not pursue criminal charges against the companies for providing bribes, considering the coercive aspects, but applied charges for violations of accounting regulations regarding off-the-books funds and tax evasion.
Hoan asserted that additional procedures related to the E7 visa for South Korea were handled by Nam and that he was unaware of the specific details. He cited the unique nature of the South Korean market as a factor in the additional procedures. He noted that in the past, six Vietnamese companies sent 794 workers to South Korea without registration, resulting in their return, prompting the Overseas Labor Management Department to establish additional approval processes to manage dispatch numbers in accordance with South Korea's quotas.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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