Seoul mayor presents plan to lure foreign talent, establish multicultural society

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on Monday unveiled a comprehensive plan to attract and retain foreign talent by offering scholarships and implementing new child care policies.

International students wearing hanbok, or Korean traditional dress, take selfies during a Coming of Age Day event held at a traditional house in Yeungnam University in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang, on Friday. The Coming of Age Day fell on Monday this year. [NEWS1]

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on Monday unveiled a comprehensive plan to attract and retain foreign talent by offering scholarships and implementing new child care policies. The city plans to recruit global talent and companies through 2028 to enhance its competitiveness.

“The city’s competitiveness is created by talented individuals,” Oh stressed in a press conference at City Hall. “Infrastructure is important, too, but in the end, it's the people.”

The mayor’s five-year master plan comprises recruiting talent and establishing an inclusive multicultural society. Around 250.6 billion won ($184 million) will be spent on the plan.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government aims to recruit 1,000 international students for master's and Ph.D. programs in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields by subsidizing schools with as much as 1.5 billion won annually over three years.

The spending may vary depending on the Ministry of Education’s financial support. Ten universities will be selected next year to benefit from the city’s subsidies.

The so-called Seoul Tech Scholarships will be offered to those with bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields from developing countries. Up to 20 million won annually will be provided to 200 graduates through 2028.

An education fair will also be held to recruit more international students, starting in Jakarta, Indonesia, in July.

The city’s plan comes as the capital has become home to some 440,000 foreign residents, or one out of every 21 Seoulites.

In four out of Seoul's 25 districts, foreigners account for over 10 percent of the population. The four districts are Guro, Geumcheon, Yeongdeungpo and Jung.

International students account for the highest portion of foreigners in Seoul, with the capital hosting nearly 45 percent of such students in Korea.

The metropolitan government said it aims to attract 100 global companies to the city with various support schemes, including foreign direct investment. A hub for over 100 international startups will also be built in Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul, by 2030.

A new center dedicated to helping international students adjust to life in Korea was also established in March. It assists them with visa issues and job searches.

The mayor also announced plans to hire and educate foreign workers in industries struggling with recruitment, such as child care, hotels and restaurants.

Starting in September, 100 Filipino nannies will work in Seoul households under E-9 visas. The pilot project will last through next February.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon unveils a comprehensive plan to make the capital into a foreigner-friendly city at City Hall on Monday. The master plan includes attracting global talent in the STEM field and implementing new policies for multicultural families. [YONHAP]

The incoming nannies will be guaranteed a minimum wage, receiving 2.06 million won monthly if they work 8 hours daily.

The mayor said the payment is higher than expected due to legal constraints in Korea, unlike how nannies in Hong Kong and Singapore are hired at almost half the salary. “An agreement on the payment that would satisfy both the nannies and parents should be reached through further discussion,” Oh said.

Next year, the city will also establish a vocational school to train foreign personnel for high-demand occupations with low labor supplies, such as caregivers and certified nursing assistants. According to the Seoul city government, around 100,000 more caregivers are needed across nearly 1,500 convalescent hospitals in the capital.

Noting that the biggest reasons for foreigners leaving Korea are child care and education, according to the city's survey, the city will enhance measures such as providing interpretation services during medical appointments and subsidizing nursery school fees for foreign residents.

Children in multicultural families will newly receive 400,000 to 600,000 won per year as educational subsidies from elementary through high school.

To help families adapt to life in Seoul, the city will also create an AI chatbot to answer their questions around the clock.

In Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, the second Seoul Foreign Resident Center will be built, offering information and consultations in every area of life in Seoul. The first center is located in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul.

Starting next year, the city will organize a week around Together Day on May 20 to celebrate social inclusion with events and programs for foreigners in Korea.

Designated by the national government in 2007, Together Day promotes social pluralism and respect for different cultures.

The Seoul city government will also establish a new team in July to oversee city policies regarding foreigners and immigration.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]