Foreign students in Chungcheongbuk-do (Chungbuk) will now support the settlement of foreign residents on a part-time basis. Currently, international students are permitted to work part-time in supportive roles in specialized fields such as interpretation and translation, general office work, cooking, tourism guidance, and duty-free sales.
According to Chungbuk Province on the 17th, a pilot project to support interpretation and translation by foreign students through local foreign resident support centers will begin this month. The project aims to help foreign residents settle in the community by breaking down language barriers, utilizing the part-time work permit system for international students.
Chungbuk Province held a study abroad information session in Bengaluru, India, in October last year. (Photo provided by Chungbuk Province)
This initiative was introduced in response to the growing number of foreign residents in the province and the continued inconvenience they face due to language barriers in daily life. In fact, the number of foreign residents in the province has more than doubled, from 36,206 in 2014 to 72,719 in 2024.
As of today, the number of international students in the province has surpassed 10,000. Among them, students with a certain level of Korean language proficiency will be recruited to assist in interpretation and translation, document preparation, general office tasks, and more.
In particular, the part-time work permit system for international students will be utilized to ensure structured participation and fair compensation. Eligible participants are international students enrolled in universities in the province who have achieved Level 4 or higher on the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) or have completed Level 4 or higher of the Social Integration Program. These students will receive hourly wages at the minimum wage level and transportation allowances based on commuting distance.
The project will begin full-scale operations around June, following the selection of implementing organizations and the recruitment of participating students next month, along with the signing of labor contracts and obtaining part-time work permits. To ensure efficiency, the Chungbuk Talent Lifelong Education Promotion Agency will be in charge of operations.
Park Sun-hee, head of Chungbuk’s Foreign Policy Promotion Division, said, “Through this project, we hope to provide international students with opportunities to participate in the local community and offer a foundation for foreign residents to settle.” She added, “We plan to analyze the outcomes of this year’s pilot project and expand it in full from next year.”
