The Busan International Students Job Fair on Sept. 27, 2024, at Kyungsung University in Busan's Nam-gu District is packed with job-seeking foreign students. (Yonhap News)

By Yoo Yeon Gyeong

The Ministry of Education on Jan. 6 announced the results of a survey held from June to October last year on 1,207 foreign students and 98 regional businesses at a job fair for such students.

Around 55% of such students wished to find jobs near where they lived in the country, and 65% of regional businesses responded positively to hiring more foreign workers over the next five years.

In addition, 42.5% of foreign students said they were interested in finding jobs only in Korea, not their home or third countries.

Thus government assistance will go toward connecting international students seeking jobs in Korea and regional businesses facing labor shortages.

More data and consultations related to job searches will be provided on the websites Study in Korea (https://www.studyinkorea.go.kr) and K-Work (https://k-work.or.kr/main/main.do), the latter being a job portal exclusively for foreign students run by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.

The ministry said, "The Regional Innovation System and Education will be expanded nationwide from this year, and we will support local governments nationwide to more actively hold job fairs for international students."

dusrud21@korea.kr