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Panel discussion focuses on encouraging foreign talent to stay in Seoul

Published: 04 Sep. 2025, 18:36 Updated: 04 Sep. 2025, 19:03

CHO JUNG-WOO
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Lim Jai-geun, director of foreign resident and immigration policy at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, gives a presentation on Seoul's policies to attract and retain more international talent during a roundtable at the City Hall in central Seoul on Sept. 4. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Officials and international professionals gathered in central Seoul on Thursday to debate a question that has become increasingly urgent for the Korean capital — how to not only attract global talent but also make the city a place where they want to stay.

“Seoul has gained worldwide visibility through Netflix hits like 'Squid Game' and 'KPop Demon Hunters,'” said Kim Su-deok, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Global City Policy Bureau, ahead of a roundtable hosted by the city and the Justice Ministry. “It’s true that Korea, and Seoul, have become appealing options. But the real question is whether Seoul is attractive as a place to study, work and start a business.”

Kim added that competition for skilled workers is intensifying worldwide and that Korea joined the race relatively late, making it all the more important to expand programs like Thursday’s event, held under the theme “Hearing the Voice of Global Talent.”

During the session, officials from the Justice Ministry and the city government laid out their strategies for attracting and retaining foreign professionals. Eight expatriates who have built careers and lives in Korea followed with a panel discussion about their experiences and what more the authorities could do.

Visas: a paradigm shift

Lee Jong-cheol, director of the Justice Ministry’s immigration policy division, argued that easing visa restrictions and creating more tailored pathways for foreign talent has become essential, given Korea’s rapidly aging population, low birthrate and shrinking regional work force.

“At this stage, bringing in outstanding foreign talent is not a choice but a necessity,” Lee said. “Equally important is creating an environment where they can truly settle and thrive.”

Lee emphasized that the ministry is shifting away from a regulatory approach toward policies that encourage qualified foreign professionals to enter, work and integrate into Korean society. “We want to ensure that there are no barriers for talented graduates to find jobs here,” he said.

He pointed out that more than three-quarters of international students in Korea are enrolled in humanities, social sciences or arts programs, which often do not align with the technical qualifications required for existing work visas. That mismatch, he explained, has created “a structural contradiction.” The ministry is therefore considering ways to guarantee that students who excel academically or achieve the highest level in Korean language proficiency can access employment opportunities after graduation.

In recent years, the ministry has introduced a series of visa options designed to attract top talent.

Ferreira Fraga Luis Filipe, center, a medical AI engineer, speaks as one of eight panelists during a roundtable on policies for foreign residents at City Hall in central Seoul on Sept. 4. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

One is the E-7-S specialized talent visa, which is available to high-earning professionals, as well as workers in strategic or advanced industries. Another is the points-based residency visa, which awards points for education, career history and Korean language skills, and allows recipients to live and work in Korea without restrictions while also sponsoring visas for their spouses and children.

Most recently, in April, the ministry launched the so-called top-tier visa, designed for senior engineers in fields such as semiconductors, biopharma and advanced batteries. Unlike other visas, it also grants spouses the right to work. For now, the bar for entry is steep: candidates must hold a graduate degree from a top-100 global university, have experience at a top-200 company and earn at least three times Korea’s per capita GNI, or about 150 million won ($112,000) a year. Only two people have received the visa so far, but officials plan to expand the program to include professors, researchers and experts in emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, robotics and defense.

Seoul’s strategy

“If we look at the trend in advanced countries, foreign residents often make up about 15 percent of the population,” said Lim Jai-geun, director of foreign resident and immigration policy at the city government. “For Seoul, that could mean more than 1.5 million people.”

To that end, the city has introduced several programs. One is the Seoul Tech Scholarship, which covers airfare, tuition and living expenses for up to two years, worth up to 20 million won per student, for those enrolling at nine designated universities, including Korea University and Sungkyunkwan University. Thirty-nine students have received the scholarship in the past two years.

Officials and international panelists pose for a photo during a roundtable titled “Hearing the Voice of Global Talent,” hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Justice to discuss policies for recruiting and retaining foreign talent, at the City Hall in central Seoul on Sept. 4. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Until now, the program has been limited to applicants from ODA recipient countries in the UN that participated in the 1950-53 Korean War or sister and friendship cities of Seoul. Starting next year, it will expand to more countries, with larger quotas, Lim said.

The city is also working directly with companies to recruit talent and plans to host Global Talent Days in Poland and Singapore later this year. For international students, the Seoul International Students Job Fair will take place in the capital on Nov. 20.

Strong infrastructure, but diversity lacking

At the panel discussion, eight foreign residents shared their perspectives on life and work in Korea.

“Korea is fundamentally a powerhouse when it comes to infrastructure,” said Smagin Evgenii, an AI specialist at SK Telecom who earned a postgraduate degree at KAIST and has lived in Korea for 11 years. “But diversity is lacking. In large corporations, there are still very few foreign employees, and even fewer in smaller companies.”

He added, “Foreigners also need to adapt to Korean society, but Korean companies must make an effort to embrace global talent.”

Attendees listen to a presentation during a roundtable on policies for foreign residents at the City Hall in central Seoul on Sept. 4. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Evgenii pointed to the statistics: about 90 percent of international students want to stay in Korea after graduation, but only 8 percent find a job within a year. The job-seeking visa, known as D-10, allows graduates to remain in Korea for up to two years, but finding work remains a challenge.

Aymara Catherine Chinchiroca, a French-Bolivian national who has lived in Korea since 2015 and works as a global content manager and advocate for the rights of foreign residents, noted that opportunities were scarce when she first entered the job market, despite her strong proficiency in the Korean language. “It would help if more internship opportunities were offered to international students,” she said.

The event also drew a diverse audience of foreign residents. Among them was Rizka, a 29-year-old from Indonesia, who attended the event to learn more about policies for foreign residents like herself. She first came to Korea as a graduate student and now runs her own startup in Seoul. “For startups, the environment in Korea is much better,” she said, adding that she intends to continue building her career in Seoul.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]