Choi Sang-mok, acting president and Minister of Strategy and Finance, said on the 5th, "We will establish a top-tier visa to attract the best talent in advanced fields worldwide."
On the same day, acting Minister Choi held the '30th Foreign Policy Committee' at the Seoul Government Complex in Jongno-gu, where he stated, "We will grant residence visas without restrictions on employment to talented individuals and their families, and allow the invitation of parents and domestic helpers."
He noted, "The prolonged low birth rate trend is leading to a decline in the working-age population, intensifying the labor shortage in the industrial sector and the crisis of regional extinction," adding that, "Amid escalating global tech competition, the world has entered a total war to secure talent in advanced fields."
He further stated, "Adapting to changes in population and economic structure is no longer an option but a necessity for revitalizing our economy and society through the utilization of foreign workers," adding that, "Major countries such as the United States, Japan, and Singapore are implementing bold incentives to secure talents in advanced fields like artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and biotechnology."
He emphasized, "As we possess world-class technological capability and a dynamic economic environment, we must create optimal conditions for outstanding foreign talents to settle and grow while leading global innovation."
Acting Minister Choi said, "Through the K-Tech Pass program, we will support stable and long-term domestic settlement by providing various residency benefits, such as allowing foreign schools to accept children of the best talents outside of regular quotas and a 50% reduction in earned income tax. We will also issue job-seeking visas to the best talents whose employment is not yet secured, allowing them to freely search for jobs and prepare while becoming part of our economy."
He added, "We will establish a youth dream visa to expand youth exchanges and form a favorable image of Korea, and we will collaborate with local governments and regional universities to ensure that outstanding talents needed in regions can settle in their communities."
Additionally, acting Minister Choi stated, "We will establish a future-oriented visa system that can actively reflect the demand of industrial sites and regions." The government plans to pilot a 'metropolitan visa' starting this month, allowing local governments to directly design visa systems reflecting regional characteristics and needs.
Acting Minister Choi stated, "We will implement a proposal system for visa and residency policies based on field demand to support proactive responses to changes in industry and workforce structure," adding that, "We will strengthen tailored social integration education for immigrants in response to the increase in foreigners and diversification of residency types."
He further stated, "We will organize special classes for training skilled workers, such as Korean language education, to enable foreign workers with skilled techniques to switch to settlement visas," adding that, "To support compatriots in Korea, we will integrate residency qualifications and push for legislation to establish a support center dedicated to social integration education for compatriots."