Roundtable event explores opportunities for enhancing inclusivity for foreign nationals in Korea

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Roundtable event explores opportunities for enhancing inclusivity for foreign nationals in Korea

Published: 05 Sep. 2025, 16:40 Updated: 05 Sep. 2025, 17:44

YOON SEUNG-JIN
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

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]

Smagin Evgenii, an AI strategist from Russia, chose to come to Korea 11 years ago while studying Asian Studies because Korea was then “one of the least popular countries.”

“Everyone else chose China and Japan over Korea, so I thought it could be an opportunity,” said Evgenii during a roundtable hosted under the theme of “Hearing the Voice of Global Talent” at Seoul City Hall in central Seoul on Thursday.

Having successfully built his career here as a manager in the AI strategy and partnerships department at Korea's largest mobile carrier, SK Telecom, he now believes he made the right choice.

Smagin Evgenii 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]

“For foreign nationals, Korea offers a good environment with highly developed infrastructure, which makes Korea a good country to work in, too,” he said. “Moreover, it has been constantly developing in almost all aspects. I came here 11 years ago, and I have been able to witness its constant and rapid development.”

Despite the compelling aspects of Seoul, though, Evgenii added that there is a lot of room for improvement, especially when it comes to retaining existing global talent in Korea.

“Most companies in Korea, even though they have started hiring foreign nationals, have failed to set solid directions and goals,” he said.

Seven other panelists at the event held at the Seoul City Hall, set up to hear the opinions of foreign nationals living and working in Korea about their views on how to attract global talent to the country, echoed the concerns of Evgenii.

Ferreira Fraga Luis Filipe, who came from Brazil and now works as an AI engineer specializing in video analysis and AI-integrated engineering, pointed out that the lack of inclusivity in society remains the biggest hurdle for foreigners trying to secure jobs and settle in Korea.

“There are many expats who are already fluent in Korean and doing their utmost to adapt to society,” Filipe said. “However, the social and corporate perception of foreign nationals makes it hard for them to adjust to company culture.”

Chinchiroca Aymara Catherine, center, 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]

Then, there are also more practical challenges like the shortage of internships and job opportunities for foreign nationals.

“Many foreigners have to return home because they fail to get jobs here despite their efforts to learn the language and the culture,” said Filipe.

“It is hard to even start with internships before entering the field, let alone get a regular job,” said Chinchiroca Aymara Catherine. “I think relevant ministries and companies should provide more internship opportunities to foreign students.”

Catherine, a dual citizen of France and Bolivia, came to Korea in 2015. Since then, she has worked as a foreign nationals’ rights activist and global content creator. In 2024, she was named an honorary citizen of Seoul in recognition of her social contributions.

Even when there are opportunities, obtaining the right visa at the right time remains a big hurdle, according to the panelists.

Kobessov Rakhat, overseas salesperson, right, 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]

Even though the Korean government has eased some visa policies over the years, the panelists agreed that the process is still overly strict and renewals are too frequent.

“I’ve been through so many different visas. I started with the D-2 student visa, then the E-7 skilled worker visa, but I had to renew it every year,” Evgenii said.

“I really wanted to escape this cycle, but I only had three weeks to find a job before I could apply for another visa type. Obtaining and renewing the F-2-7 visa has also been tough,” he added.

Kobessov Rakha, an overseas salesperson from Kazakhstan, currently holds an F-2-7 visa, a visa for highly skilled foreign professionals. However, he hopes to secure the F-5 permanent residency visa so that he will no longer need to renew it so frequently.

“There are some tough qualifications, like income requirements, but I’m trying my best to obtain the F-5 visa,” he said.

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]

The panelists said that they believe Korea can grow as one of the most attractive destinations for international students and professionals if locals and foreigners can make mutual efforts to integrate.

“First, we have to admit that it is not easy for foreigners to come and settle in Korea, which is almost like an island nation with a homogeneous sentiment,” Evgenii said. “Through mutual efforts and understanding from both locals and foreigners, I believe Korean society will become more inclusive.”

“Personally, I want to grow as well, so I can truly serve as a global talent who contributes to Korea’s economy,” he added.

“I’ve changed and developed so much since I came to Korea. This event classified us as global talents, but I don’t think I’m good enough to be deemed as such,” said Brazilian AI engineer Filipe.

“Like many other foreigners finding their way in Korean society, I’m always trying to learn and grow more.”

The Hearing the Voices of Global Talent roundtable, which was jointly hosted by the Ministry of Justice and the Seoul Metropolitan Government at Seoul City Hall in Jung District, central Seoul, on Thursday, invited related officials and foreign workers to discuss the country's policy directions for attracting and retaining foreign talent.

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [[email protected]]