Andres Albiol, the first foreign train engineer in Korea, controls a train on the Gimpo Goldline. Courtesy of Andres Albiol

Andres Albiol, the first foreign train engineer to serve in Korea, attended the New Year's Eve bell-tolling ceremony, Monday, as one of the nation's representative citizens.

He was selected to show the growing contribution of foreign residents in Korea in various fields, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Currently serving as a train engineer on the Gimpo Goldline since 2021, Albiol holds the unique position of being the first and only foreign train engineer in Korea.

The Argentine has spent 14 years in Korea, initially drawn to the country by his interest in a game called "pump," which was popular in his country when he was in high school. The game, in which one plays by stepping on buttons with music, featured Korean songs, prompting him to learn the language.

Albiol pursued two years of study in the Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering at Seoul National University and obtained permanent residency in 2017.

Although he initially worked in a shipbuilding company related to his academic background, he eventually switched to working as a train engineer, drawing on his prior experience in Argentina.

"Based on locations, most shipbuilding companies are situated in South Gyeongsang Province, such as Geoje Island, Ulsan or Mokpo. But I wanted to live in a city where I could communicate with friends after work," he said.

Participating in the New Year's Eve ceremony at Bosingak in Seoul was a remarkable experience for him.

"I haven't seen the ceremony before because I usually spend most of my time in South Gyeongsang Province, just hanging out with friends on New Year's Eve," he said.

Albiol also shared his thoughts on being selected as a citizen representative, emphasizing the challenges faced by foreign residents in Korea.

"I'm 100 percent satisfied with this job, but the government needs to find a way to support foreigners while maintaining a fair balance that does not disadvantage Koreans in the workforce," he added.