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North Jeolla Province Offers Specialized Visas to Attract Talent, Counter Population Drop

North Jeolla Province Offers Specialized Visas to Attract Talent, Counter Population Drop

JEONJU, Mar. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – Faced with a continuing population decline, the government of North Jeolla Province announced on March 18 that it would introduce a region-specific visa program aimed at attracting skilled foreign workers and ethnic Koreans living abroad.  The new visa policy seeks to ease requirements for certain qualified foreigners and overseas Koreans, [...]

Bank of Korea’s Plan to Ease Care Worker Shortage with Foreign Labor Sparks Controversy

Bank of Korea’s Plan to Ease Care Worker Shortage with Foreign Labor Sparks Controversy

SEOUL, Mar. 6 (Korea Bizwire) – In response to the growing care service staff shortage, the Bank of Korea (BOK) has suggested employing foreign workers and applying a differential minimum wage to mitigate the issue, sparking discussions about its feasibility. Labor unions criticize this measure as a temporary solution, highlighting the need to improve the conditions [...]

Hiring of Foreigners to Be Expanded to Hotel, Other Labor-intensive Industries

Hiring of Foreigners to Be Expanded to Hotel, Other Labor-intensive Industries

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Korea Bizwire) — The hiring of foreigners will be further expanded in South Korea’s labor-intensive industries, beginning next year, the government said Friday, finalizing a plan to bring in an all-time high of 165,000 non-professional migrant workers in 2024 to tackle growing labor shortages. Hotels, condos and restaurants, among others, will be [...]

S. Korea to Double Ceiling of Immediate Tax Refund for Foreign Tourists

S. Korea to Double Ceiling of Immediate Tax Refund for Foreign Tourists

SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea will double the maximum limit of purchases eligible for an immediate tax refund by foreign tourists to 5 million won (US$3,831) next year to attract overseas visitors and bolster the tourism industry, the finance ministry said Monday. Currently, the country provides on-the-spot tax refunds for an individual [...]

South Korea to Introduce 6-Month Stay Requirement for Health Insurance Dependent Status for Foreigners

South Korea to Introduce 6-Month Stay Requirement for Health Insurance Dependent Status for Foreigners

SEOUL, Oct. 27 (Korea Bizwire) – Starting next year, foreigners will be required to stay in South Korea for a minimum of six months to qualify for health insurance dependent status. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Health Insurance Service on Thursday, a revision to the Health Insurance Act that introduces [...]

About 36,000 Foreigners Arrested for Criminal Charges Annually

About 36,000 Foreigners Arrested for Criminal Charges Annually

SEOUL, Oct. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — About 36,000 foreigners were arrested on criminal charges annually on average over the past five years, about half of them from China, National Police Agency (NPA) data showed Thursday. A total of 180,162 foreigners were apprehended as suspects in criminal cases from 2018 to 2022, recording an annual average [...]

Incheon’s Hambak Village Shop Owners Seek Protection Amid Rising Foreign Presence

Incheon’s Hambak Village Shop Owners Seek Protection Amid Rising Foreign Presence

SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – Shop owners in Hambak Village, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, which is home to a significant foreign population, have come together to demand protection for their business rights.  On September 18, more than 50 members of the Task Force for the Survival Rights of Local Shop Owners in Hambak Village gathered in front [...]

S. Korea to Require Trustees for Foreign Home Buyers

S. Korea to Require Trustees for Foreign Home Buyers

SEOUL, Aug. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — Foreign nationals without a registered address or residence in South Korea must now appoint a trustee and provide their personal information when purchasing a house, the land ministry said Tuesday. The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs announced that it will enact and enforce the updated enforcement ordinance [...]

Seoul Metro Unveils Real-time Translation for Foreign Visitors

Seoul Metro Unveils Real-time Translation for Foreign Visitors

SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Korea Bizwire) — Seoul Metro, the city-run operator of the subway system in Seoul, said Monday it will establish a communication system aimed at facilitating interactions between subway staff and foreigners through real-time translation. The organization intends to choose a developer to design and implement an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered system and initiate a [...]