Previously, only a few specialist science research institutions such as Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST), Ulsan National Institute for Science and Technology (UNIST), Daegyu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), and Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) could invite undergraduate students, making it difficult for other highly ranked Korean universities to attract foreign research talent.
Now, Korean universities listed in the top 200 of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings or the top 500 of QS World University Rankings, can invite international students, according to the new rules announced on 1 July by the Ministry of Justice, which has responsibility for immigration.
Based on the latest rankings, the new rules which relax the existing regulations for research students (visa category D-2-5) and researchers (visa categoryE-3), allows institutions like Seoul National University (SNU), Yonsei University, Korea University, POSTECH, Sungkyunkwan University, Hanyang University, and Kyung Hee University to attract researchers from overseas.
The requirements for the research visa have also been eased. Previously, it was only available to those with a masters or doctoral degree. Now, graduates from prestigious universities or authors of notable academic papers can be invited as researchers regardless of their work experience.
Primary authors, co-authors, and corresponding authors of papers indexed in the global Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) or the Clarivate Arts and Humanities Citation Index (A&HCI) which also includes natural science journals, can qualify for the research visa, easing the previous requirement of three years of work experience for holders of foreign masters degrees.
Kim V Narry, professor in life sciences at SNU and the first Korean member of the United Kingdom’s Royal Society – the equivalent of Academy of Sciences, who, in a world first, analysed the RNA transcriptome of the COVID-19 virus, attended the Ministry of Science and ICT’s second Science and Engineering Revitalisation Task Force meeting on 18 April.
She stated: “It is not easy to recruit excellent foreign professors or students to Korea due to institutional shortcomings such as visas.”
Soo-hyuk Lee, a doctoral researcher at Korea University's College of Engineering, told University World News: “Attracting talented foreign researchers can significantly expand the country's R&D capabilities and provide fresh and specialised expertise that is not easily available in the domestic academic sphere. Despite Korea’s technological level being world-class, I have often thought that the lack of multifaceted exchange and communication hinders further development.”
He said he agreed with the Ministry of Justice’s policy direction to allow foreign researchers to interact more freely with their Korean counterparts.
Ji-yeon Lee, a doctoral researcher at Seoul University’s College of Natural Sciences, said: “The proportion of foreign faculty members is a criterion in global university rankings.
“Moreover, foreign researchers are essential for sustaining the long-term development plans of Korean universities, and their contributions are crucial in efforts to internalise these goals.” She added: “The broadened scope of exchanges will provide opportunities for researchers to draw inspiration from diverse sources.”
Improving conditions for foreign researchers
The South Korean government has been steadily expanding visa and residency support for excellent foreign talent in science and technology as well as providing foreign researchers with more access to government R&D funds, announcing last year that that foreign researchers would be put on a more equal basis with domestic researchers in applying for funds.
At a cabinet meeting on 20 June Prime Minister Han Duck-soo presented a plan for coherent management of foreign workers which included easing visa and residency requirements for top foreign researchers and skilled professionals in advanced industries.
Tailored support services will be provided to outstanding talent in science and engineering, such as easing residency requirements.
Specifically, science and engineering PhD graduates from specialised overseas institutions who have a recommendation letter from their university president will be granted a residence visa (F-2) without conditions on employment, while those with excellent research achievements and who meet points-based criteria will be eligible for permanent residency (F-5) and naturalisation.
According to data released by the Prime Minister’s Office, as of last year 85.6% (450,425) of foreign workers who qualified for employment in South Korea were unskilled, while only 13.3% (69,950) were skilled professionals.
The government has recognised that past foreign labour policies focused too strongly on short-term unskilled labour, and has announced plans to identify new fields for skilled worker visas based on predicted need and focusing on key industries like semiconductors and other sectors experiencing significant labour shortages.
In January 2022, the Ministry of Justice introduced a fast-track programme for global talents in science and technology, reducing the time for holders of student visas to gain permanent residency or citizenship from six years to three, and simplifying the process from five stages to three.
According to a 2022 demand survey by the Korea Industrial Technology Association on “Foreign Science and Engineering Masters and PhD Talent”, 69% of the 300 companies with research institutes responded pointed to a need to expand the number of foreign workers.
Reasons included a “shortage of domestic workers’ (43%), need for expertise when expanding into foreign markets, and ‘superior expertise and ability compared to domestic personnel” (33%).