By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter

Four in 10 foreign investors and professionals here feel discrimination, despite a series of government efforts to create a foreigner-friendly atmosphere, according to a survey of 2,224 foreign residents ㅡ 508 investors and 1,024 professionals.

The survey, conducted by Korea Gallup for the Ministry of Justice, was meant to look into foreigners' life here and find out what needs to be changed to help upgrade their living standards.

According to the survey, 42.7 percent of the investors and 43.1 percent of the professionals felt they had been discriminated against.

A total 32.5 percent of investors and 30.9 percent of professionals said Koreans had a hostile attitude toward foreigners.

In the survey, ``foreign investor'' referred to holders of D-8 visas who have invested at least 50 million won here ($38,160) and ``foreign professional'' referred to those holding E1-E8 visas. They include professors, teachers and researchers but exclude entertainers, artists and industrial trainees.

The discrimination they felt here made them reluctant to live in Korea.

Asked whether Korea is a better place to live than their homeland, 39 percent of investors and 42.3 percent of professionals said ``no.''

The language barrier was the No. 1 culprit for their difficulties in Korea, followed by the high cost of living, lack of multinational foods and discrimination.

However, the majority of investors had a rosy view on the Korean economy and plan to expand their business further in the future.

Some 42.8 percent said they would expand their business here over the next three years, while 33 percent said their investment would remain the same. Only 3.1 percent were considering reducing their investment.

The survey also found that more than half of the investors did not receive any government support. To attract more foreign investment, the Korean government has introduced a range of policies favoring foreign investors including tax breaks, and financial and administrative support.

``The survey is the first of its kind to be conducted by the government. The result will be reflected in foreigner-related policies ,'' said justice ministry official Kim Min-soo.

pss@koreatimes.co.kr