North Chungcheong accelerates efforts to attract 10,000 international students this year
Published: 05 Mar. 2025, 18:21
![A study abroad fair is held at Chiang Mai University in Thailand on Sept. 26, 2024. [NORTH CHUNGCHEONG PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/03/05/c43cb31c-457f-43b8-b92a-27153cec0606.jpg)
A study abroad fair is held at Chiang Mai University in Thailand on Sept. 26, 2024. [NORTH CHUNGCHEONG PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT]
North Chungcheong is ramping up its efforts to attract 10,000 international students by the end of this year, a goal that appears within reach.
According to the provincial government, 8,175 foreign students were enrolled at 18 universities within the province as of Dec. 16 last year.
The number has more than doubled in a year and eight months since the provincial government launched measures to attract foreign students in July 2023.
Aiming to address both the province's declining population and labor shortages, the initiative focuses on attracting financially struggling foreign students by providing educational opportunities at local universities and job placements in regional companies.
To meet its 10,000-foreign-student goal, the provincial government has been actively hosting events, including holding study abroad fairs in nine countries, including Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, and Chiang Mai in Thailand, last year. The provincial government also worked with the Ministry of Education to host a job fair for international students at Chungbuk National University last October.
The regional government kicked off the K-Guardian program last year, paring international students with local mentors from various sectors, including law enforcement, fire departments, private social organizations and university student councils, to assist students in settling in Korea. Each guardian is assigned two international students and they will provide career advice and participate in local activities together.
The government is also working on alleviating visa measures to make it easier for foreign students to stay in the region and enter the local work force.
North Chungcheong has applied to participate in the pilot operation of the Ministry of Justice's regional specialized visa program, which allows regional governments to design visa conditions tailored to their specific needs to attract foreign talent and address local demographic challenges.
If selected, North Chungcheong will benefit from relaxed visa issuance rules for D-2 and E-7 visas, including eased requirements for part-time employment and exemptions from submitting proof of bank balances, for 21 months, from March 31 through December next year.
The Ministry of Justice is expected to announce the participating regional governments this month.
In April, the first provincial-level online platform dedicated to international students called "Study in North Chungcheong," will be launched following a trial phase that began this month.
A job fair exclusively for international students in North Chungcheong is also planned for the latter half of this year, aimed at connecting students with local businesses.
The program to recruit international students is "a crucial investment for strengthening North Chungcheong's future competitiveness," said a provincial official. "While we have focused on increasing the number of international students, our next step is to establish a system that enables them to study, work and settle in North Chungcheong in a stable manner."
BY WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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