DILI, 06 March 2026 (Média Democracia) – His Excellency the Secretary of State for Professional Training and Employment (SEFOPE), Rogério Araújo Mendonça, bid farewell to 63 workers going to South Korea and 4 workers going to Japan.
His Excellency the Secretary of State for Professional Training and Employment (SEFOPE), Rogério Araújo Mendonça, said that the declaration signed by the workers should be fulfilled and they should show good behavior while working abroad.
“The declarations you all signed and will be read out state that you will not drink alcohol, not engage in martial arts in the host country, and show good behavior while carrying out your mission to work in South Korea and Japan.” said His Excellency.
His Excellency also asked the workers’ families to pray for the workers, because they are not working in their home country but will be spending most of their time overseas.
“The workers going to Korea are working in a high-risk area, so I ask the families to keep praying for them. We should maintain our good culture and traditions to ensure their journey is safe. Prayers should always accompany them in their mission, as they will be spending most of their time overseas, not in their home country,” said His Excellency SEFOPE.
On the other hand, the Director of the National Directorate of Foreigners, João Correia Pereira, said that whenever workers are going to work in countries like South Korea, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand, they always hold a farewell ceremony for the workers.
“Whenever workers are leaving to work in South Korea, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand, we always hold a farewell ceremony for them before they go abroad. We all affirm that from today onwards, we’re together here, and I’d like to report that as of 2026, our numbers in South Korea have risen to 7,900 people. We can say Korea’s numbers are increasing, with most in fisheries, around 5,092 people, 2,500 in factories, and in agriculture, we only have 78 people there,” said the Director of the National Directorate of Foreigners.
Meanwhile, the representative of workers in South Korea and Japan, Nelson Maia, asked parents not to be sad and to always show smiling faces to their children when they’re far away. He also asked fellow workers to take care of themselves in foreign countries.
”I ask the parents participating here not to be sad when we leave for foreign countries, and don’t show sad faces, but instead always show your smiles, because your smiles give us strength even when we’re far away. We will always be accompanied by your prayers. And I also ask my fellow workers to take care of yourselves while working abroad,” said the worker.
A total of 63 workers are going to Korea, although 65 were initially selected – one id dead due to illness and one was rejected on the second attempt. All 63 workers going are new to the fisheries sector, with no experienced workers among them. As for Japan, there are four workers ready to go.
Reporting : Nélia
Photo : Nélia