By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter

The government will launch an incentive program aimed at encouraging foreign workers who overstayed their visa to leave the country "voluntarily," the Ministry of Justice said Monday.

Under the program, those who exit will be exempt from fines and will not be regulated on a possible revisit to the country.

The authorities are aiming to reduce the number of illegal sojourners here ― estimated at 180,000 ― before the G-20 Summit slated for November.

The program will run from May 6 to September 31.

Employers who come clean with such workers will also be granted exemptions from fines and be given priority in recruiting substitute workers.

The workers will have to report to immigration offices at airports with their employer, passport and flight ticket to confirm departure.

Apart from this campaign, immigration officers and police will conduct a joint crackdown on illegal foreign workers, who have mostly entered Korea on an E-9 visa and stayed after authorization expired. Those caught will be fined and deported. Employers will be fined up to 20 million won and be restricted from hiring a replacement for three years.

"We are giving incentives to those who come clean about their wrongdoings. However, there will be no mercy once they are caught ― more penalties will be given," ministry official Yoon Jong-seok said.

According to the ministry, there are 178,163 foreigners staying here without valid visas, about 15.1 percent of the total 1,180,598 foreign residents. About half of them are Chinese, including ethnic Koreans, followed by Vietnamese, Thais, Mongolians and Filipinos among others. As of March, only 5,226 have turned themselves into the authorities, while 4,826 were caught and deported.