Restrictions on Overseas Koreans Working in Korea to be Eased

By next month at the earliest, in an effort to increase the number of overseas Koreans with foreign citizenship employed within the domestic Korean economy, the government plans to relax on a large scale the filing requirements under the employment regulatory system that have been in effect since the end of 2002.

On March 28 a Labor Department spokesperson revealed, “Up to now, the present employment regulation system only applied to the descendants of Korean independence fighters, relatives by marriage up to the fourth degree of kinship, and relatives by blood up to the eighth degree of kinship. The government plans to allow overseas Koreans with foreign citizenship who have proof of relevant experience, education or qualification in a specific field to file for employment.”

The Labor Department spokesperson also stated, “The government will lower the required age of applicants from 30 years to 20 years, increase the allowable period of employment from two years to three years, and expand the presently allowed service industries to include consulting.”

Consequently, this opens the doors for large numbers of young talent in service industries, including consulting, from overseas Korean communities in China, Russia and Central Asia, to work in the Korean economy.

The spokesperson added, “In order to make these changes to the immigration regulations and apply them in a timely fashion, the Labor Department plans to come to an agreement with the Interior Ministry by May at the latest.

In the present year, there are 16,000 overseas Koreans with foreign citizenship working in South Korea, 4,000 of whom are working in service industries and 12,000 of whom are working in consulting industries. Starting next year, through these employment regulations, the Labor Department will be able to freely designate the number of overseas Koreans with foreign citizenship working in South Korea.

Under the present system, an overseas Korean with foreign citizenship would receive a visiting resident’s visa (F-1-4) and, within three months, the Labor Department, through the Employment Stabilization Center, would allow that person to work in South Korea for up to two years after he had procured his employment contract.

Jong-Hoon Lee taylor55@donga.com