Jobseekers check booths set up at the Global Talent Fair in Seoul, Aug. 27. Korea is moving to attract foreign professionals in high-tech areas such as artificial intelligence and electric vehicle batteries, with legislative bills and programs being introduced to make Korea a more appealing destination for them. Newsis

Korea is moving to attract foreign professionals in high-tech areas such as artificial intelligence and electric vehicle batteries, with legislative bills and programs being introduced to make Korea a more appealing destination for them.

In the latest such move, a group of lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party introduced a bill on Tuesday to offer experts in high-tech industries a fast-track program to get special visas and benefits like a residence permit for their family members, including parents.

"With the recent advancement of generative AI, countries around the world are trying hard to attract AI experts as the technology is expected to lead the global economy. And high-tech companies in sectors such as semiconductors, software, displays, bio and rechargeable batteries, among others, have a strong desire to attract and recruit them," said Rep. Koh Dong-jin, one of the 11 legislators and a former president of Samsung Electronics.

Under the proposal, foreign experts in government-designated high-tech areas would be allowed to receive benefits, including less stringent visa screening, residence permits for their families and extended stay without frequently renewing their visas. This would help create a better environment for such workers to stay here longer and make it possible for Korea to make use of their expertise more sustainably, Koh said.

This bill comes when the global competition is heating up to secure tech dominance by luring top experts.

Korea is lagging in the race, according to the lawmaker, with non-citizens accounting for just 0.09 percent of all skilled professionals working in the country, compared with 6.6 percent in Singapore and 0.3 percent in Australia and Japan.

With countries such as the United States, Britain, Japan and Taiwan introducing special visas and more benefits to attract such experts, Korea also needs to step up its efforts, Koh said.

Korea is known as one of the least open countries to foreign workers. In recent years, more jobs have been offered, but mostly in labor-intensive industries that Korean nationals shun.

This may have to change for Korea and its cities to stay competitive in the coming decades, according to a senior official at the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

"Attracting such professionals is particularly important for Korea, a country that has a low birthrate and needs foreign workers," the official told The Korea Times. "But that is, fundamentally, a job for the private companies that pay them salaries. What policymakers can do to help is to make the country or its cities a more attractive option for them to consider."

As part of that effort, the Seoul city government recently introduced a scholarship program for international students studying science or engineering at Korean graduate schools.

Potential beneficiaries are those with bachelor's degrees or expected to earn one soon at universities outside Korea. In addition to the money, the government offers them legal tips and language education to help them achieve their career aspirations in the city.

If Korea is to stay stable and competitive in the long run, it needs to embrace more foreign workers in more sectors, including high-tech areas, according to Kim Joon-sik, the honorary chairman of Asian Friends, a Seoul-based NGO.

"But policymakers should tread carefully, given that high-paying tech jobs are scarce also for Koreans, who have to compete fiercely for them," he said. "If they feel the competition becomes even more intense because of more competition with non-citizens, it could trigger anti-immigration sentiment, which is bad for Korea's long-term immigration policy."