Foreign seasonal laborers, hired for short periods in rural areas, harvest onions with Korean farmers at a farm in Changnyeong County, South Gyeongsang Province, May 29. Yonhap

To improve the predictability of foreign workforce supply and demand and to develop tailored human resource policies, the government will revamp its outlook for foreign workers by industry around the competent ministries. Additionally, the total number of foreign workers entering the country will be managed under an integrated committee.

A new management plan aimed at enhancing the stability and utilization of foreign labor was announced Thursday, amid the rising demand driven by Korea's shrinking working-age population.

The domestic labor market currently includes approximately 560,000 foreign workers, driven by Korea's intensified low birthrate and aging population. The government anticipates an even greater influx of foreign labor in the future.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo emphasized the importance of systematically managing and utilizing foreign workers to reshape the landscape of the domestic labor market.

"We will move beyond short-term visa-based responses to demand and establish customized human resource policies based on medium- to long-term supply and demand forecasts by industry," Han said during a ministerial meeting on state affairs on Thursday.

Last July, the government formed a joint task force dedicated to foreign workforce management. This team has been engaged in ongoing discussions to address the increasing demand for foreign workers across various industrial sectors.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, second from right, presides over a meeting at the Government Complex Sejong, Thursday. Yonhap

The initiative includes a total of 42 promotion efforts targeting various sectors, such as unskilled and specialized workers, international students and rural laborers.

As a first step, the government will shift its approach to forecasting the supply and demand of foreign workers, organizing it by industry and assigning responsibility to the relevant departments.

Under this plan, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs will handle forecasts for the agricultural and livestock industries, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will oversee the fishing industry and the Ministry of Employment and Labor will manage the manufacturing, construction and service industries.

The current system faced criticism for addressing short-term demand on a visa-by-visa basis rather than through systematic analysis.

In response, the government plans to implement medium- to long-term worker supply and demand forecasts for each industry, strengthening the role of ministries in developing consumer-centered workforce policies.

To comprehensively and flexibly address the changing demand for foreign workers in the labor market, the government will establish an integrated total quantity management system focused on unskilled workers.

Currently, unskilled foreign laborers are managed by visa type, with the justice ministry handling E-8 visas, the labor ministry managing E-9 and H-2 visas and the oceans and fisheries ministry overseeing E-10 visas.

The new committee dedicated to foreign workforce policy will now coordinate all matters pertaining to unskilled labor.

Additionally, the government aims to streamline policy deliberation for foreign workers by unifying three existing bodies into one. This new committee will integrate the functions of the current committees on policies for foreigners, multicultural families and foreign human resources, aiming for more efficient policy linkage and coordination.

The government also plans to formalize the establishment of qualification standards for private companies that mediate foreign personnel, with specialized institutions handling their evaluation and sanctioning.

This move addresses issues where excessive costs from company interventions have led to the departure of foreign workers.

To attract high-tech and professional foreign workers, the government will improve the system by offering incentives and easing visa requirements, focusing on cultivating skilled workers in various industries.

Furthermore, the government will expand employment allowances, job search and training opportunities for international students graduating from Korean schools, helping them settle in local communities.

"While prioritizing jobs for Korean citizens, we should actively employ diligent foreign workers for positions that are typically avoided by the local workforce," Han said.