In recent years, there has been a surge in job bait-and-go cases in Southeast Asia. These incidents usually happen as young people leave to find better jobs to overcome their economic difficulties, many of whom are tricked into going missing. These incidents, especially in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand, are adding to their severity.
In the Southeast Asian region, thousands of people go abroad every year to find employment, and attractions and disappearances occur frequently in the process. According to statistics, thousands of young people go missing every year for this reason, and a similar pattern is seen in Vietnam and Thailand. In particular, the younger generation between the ages of 18 and 30 looking for job opportunities is the main victim, who is easily attracted by economic pressure and social expectations. There are several reasons behind these incidents. First, the growing economic instability in many countries has increased the desire of young people to find employment abroad. Second, a lack of reliable information is also a big problem. They often get fake information or fraud in the process of searching for employment information. Third, the pressure to meet the expectations of their family members or friends puts them in more dangerous situations. Victims of missing cases usually lose the opportunity to tell their stories. However, some survivors are sending warning messages through their experiences. One young man from the Philippines said, “I was deceived by jobs that looked like I needed money, and I went through terrible situations there.” As such, the voices of the victims have a great impact on society and contribute to informing the seriousness of these problems.
Several measures are needed to solve these problems. First, the government and related agencies should provide reliable employment information. Second, educational programs should help young people become aware of fraudulent employment. Third, we need to establish a system to crack down and punish these crimes by strengthening legal responses.
Also, cooperation of the international community is important. Efforts are needed for governments to cooperate to share information on these crimes and protect victims. Private organizations, such as NGOs, should also run victim support programs to help them rehabilitate.
Missing persons after luring jobs in Southeast Asia should be recognized as a social problem, not just a crime. This is a serious situation that deprives young people of their dreams and hopes, and various efforts are needed to solve this problem. Continuous attention and efforts are needed to reduce such incidents in the future. In order to solve such problems, it is important for the government, society, and individuals to work together to create a safer environment.
US ASIA JOURNAL K-UNIV REPORTER
INCHAE NA
