Korea, Germany Sign Working Holiday Accord
By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
South Korea and Germany signed an agreement Sunday under which Koreans aged between 18 and 30 can stay in the European country for up to one year for the purpose of touring and working to meet traveling expenses. Young Germans will also receive the same benefits in Korea.
In both cases, eligible participants are those who have not previously received a working holiday visa from Korea or Germany, according to the foreign ministry.
They must hold a return ticket to fly home and possess a manageable amount of money for the initial stage of their trip.
People granted the special visa can work in the other country without a work permit and freely enter and leave, the ministry said.
Aspiring working holiday makers can apply for the program via the German Embassy in Seoul and South Korean Embassy in Germany.
Korea has inked working holiday agreements with Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and France.
Nearly 40,000 Koreans took part in the programs last year.
``The government will expand the quota of participants in programs in a bid to give young people more opportunities to experience foreign countries,'' Moon Tae-young, a ministry spokesman, told reporters.
Seoul is seeking to sign additional accords with other countries, he said.