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Seoul to consider introduction of startup visa: justice minister

gettyimagesbankSouth Korea will consider introducing a new visa category for foreign startup entrepreneurs to vitalize the domestic startup ecosystem, Seoul's justice minister said Wednesday.At a South Korea-Germany startup industry roundtable meeting in Berlin, Wednesday (local time), Minister Park Beom-kye said his ministry would "review the adoption of a startup visa.""In order to vitalize our startup ecosystem, we need to have an influx of foreigners who want to launch startups in South Korea," Park said. "We need to offer (startup visas) in order to achieve this," he added.Park noted that applicants must meet qualifications and requirements, and said the government could receive recommendations from chambers of commerce.He also stated that while foreigners with masters or doctoral degrees in science and engineering are currently allowed long-term stay visa following the recommendations from heads of schools, they should also be given opportunities to start their own businesses in South Korea. (Yonhap)

Jan 13, 2022

Seoul to consider introduction of startup visa: justice minister

RAS Korea Off the beaten path in Gyeongju

Tomb of King Hyeokgeosae in autumn 2021 / Courtesy of Steven L. ShieldsBy Steven L. ShieldsJust as autumn 2021 was descending on Korea, I went to Gyeongju before the colors had begun to change. The allure of the ancient capital of the peninsula, back when it was under the name of the Silla Kingdom (57 BCE―935 CE), garners my affection. The friend I was traveling with asked me how many times I had visited the city. He recounted the few times he had been there (there are often school trips). I tried to count my visits to the magnificent place, beginning with my first time in 1976. A couple of years ago, I went there three times. Over the past 45 years, I suppose I have been there 20 or 30 times. I lost count.My visits would start in the morning of the first full day at Seokguram, the grotto high on the mountain facing the East Sea, then to Bulguk Temple, and finally into the flatland of the city with the National Museum and so forth. Each visit has typically followed the same pattern, adding a few spots here and there, dropping some lesser-known places. In recent years, Woljeong Bridge

Jan 11, 2022

Dental clinic offers free service to refugees, migrants in welfare blind spot

Volunteering medical staff give dental care to a migrant visitor at With Asia's clinic in Seoul, Dec. 18. Courtesy of With AsiaBy Lee Hae-rinJust 30 meters from exit 10 of Dongdaemun Station on Seoul Metro lines 1 and 4 is a dental clinic named “With Asia.” It is also the name of the civic group running the clinic, which has since 2017 been providing free dental care services every Saturday to foreign nationals here in financial difficulties. On Dec. 18, a Filipina was receiving treatment for a tooth cavity in the clinic, while nationals of India, the Philippines and Nepal who made reservations weeks ago were waiting for their turn in one of the clinic's three dental chairs.“This is my second time (visiting the clinic). Their service is good ― I really like them,” the Filipina, 52, who was introduced to With Asia by her pastor, told The Korea Times. “It's better than any other clinics I visited during the last 10 years in Korea because they're nicer and the treatment doesn't hurt. It's free, too.”The patients who come to the clinic are mainly refug

Jan 4, 2022By Lee Hae-rin

Dental clinic offers free service to refugees, migrants in welfare blind spot

Temple Adventures Bulguk Temple and the 2 lives of Kim Daeseong

Cheongungyo (Blue Cloud Bridge) and Baegungyo (White Cloud Bridge), National Treasure No.23, at Bulguk Temple / Courtesy of Dale QuarringtonBy Dale QuarringtonIf ever there's a Korean Buddhist temple you could or would want to impress people with by showing them it, whether it's friends or family, it would be Bulguk Temple in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. Not only is Bulguk Temple home to seven National Treasures and six additional Korean Treasures, it's also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Because of this, the temple is often very crowded, especially on weekends or holidays. However, with all that being said, it's still possible to find a peaceful place on the temple grounds to look inward. Bulguk Temple, according to the Samguk Yusa (or “Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms” in English), was originally built by Kim Daeseong (700-774), a chief minister to King Seongdeok of Silla (r. 702-737). According to the Samguk Yusa, a child named Kim Daeseong overheard a monk from Heungnyun Temple asking a wealthy landowner for a donation to help the temple. The landowner gave 50

Jan 4, 2022By Jon Dunbar

Vineworks pairs wine with people

Hanging out on the Vineworks rooftop after sunset / Courtesy of VineworksBy Chantal TerblancheVineworks pairs wine with people. An interactive wine tasting and food community in the heart of western Seoul's Hapjeong-dong area, it provides events and casual drop-ins for wine enthusiasts and beginners alikeThe physical location, occupying the top few floors ― including the roof ― of a building located in the alleys of western Seoul's Hapjeong-dong district, was founded by Ian Ashworth. Originally from England, he's been in Asia for 17 years, the bulk of which was spent in Korea, where he started off working as a teacher. “In 2014, the concept of Vineworks was first formed,” Ashworth told The Korea Times, “but it was in late 2016 that it became official.” Ashworth, a longtime lover of wine, had a growing awareness that wine in Korea was “reserved for the elite or elitist sections of society, deliberately overpriced and that generally wine tastings were a tedious affair.” Ian Ashworth of Vineworks / Courtesy of VineworksIt was nothing like the wine-tas

Jan 4, 2022By Jon Dunbar

6 Afghan evacuees find jobs in Korea: justice ministry

Justice Minister Park Beom-kye, fourth from left, and seven Afghan evacuees who recently found jobs in Korea pose, in this photo provided by the Ministry of Justice on Jan. 3. YonhapSix Afghan evacuees airlifted to South Korea from Afghanistan taken over by the Taliban last year have found jobs, the justice ministry said Monday. The six recently got employed at a manufacturer in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, and other companies, while another person was admitted to a graduate school in an unidentified regional city. Accordingly, a total of 20 evacuees from seven households will start leaving their temporary residences in the southwestern city of Yeosu early this month to lead their own lives."Your role is important as some of the first (Afghan evacuees) to seek independence in South Korea," Justice Minister Park Beom-kye told the evacuees set to leave the state-designated facility. "We hope all of you adapt well to your new lives and give courage to the other people remaining at the Yeosu residence."The government plans to keep helping the Afghan evacuees settle down here in

Jan 3, 2022

6 Afghan evacuees find jobs in Korea: justice ministry

Korea ups efforts to attract foreign workers

gettyimagesbankBy Lee Hyo-jin The Korean government will step up efforts to attract more skilled foreign nationals this year by improving its visa system for job seekers who have obtained an advanced degree at a university here. The Ministry of Justice recently introduced a set of more open and inclusive immigration policies aimed at increasing the number of foreign workers in order to maintain national growth amid the country's continuous population decline, low birthrate and aging society.According to ministry data, there are over 1.97 million residents of foreign nationality living here as of 2021, accounting for 3.82 percent of the total population. About 170,000 international students are studying at universities across the country, among whom over half are enrolled in courses to study topics other than the Korean language. In the first half of this year, the ministry will launch a so-called “fast-track visa system” for foreign nationals who have earned master's or Ph.D. degrees in science and information technology (IT) here, which would guarantee them legal status

Jan 3, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin

Korea ups efforts to attract foreign workers

Multicultural families' fathers group launched

The members of “Moduda,” a group of fathers from multicultural families based in Jecheon and Danyang of North Chungcheong Province, pose during a launch event at the Chungcheongbuk-do International Education Institute Bukbu Branch in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, Wednesday. Courtesy of the Chungcheongbuk-do International Education Institute Bukbu BranchBy Bahk Eun-jiThe concept of parenting as a shared job for both mothers and fathers has gradually gained acceptance in Korea, but in many international marriage couples here, it is still recognized as mainly the role of immigrant wives. However, in one region, fathers of multicultural families who want to take an active part in childcare and are eager to communicate with other parents of multicultural backgrounds have launched a group, named “Moduda,” short for the Korean phrase meaning, “we are all multicultural.”This parents' group is comprised of Korean men who are married to wives of foreign nationality and who have children attending kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school in Jec

Dec 30, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji

Multicultural families' fathers group launched

Central, local gov'ts increase support for multicultural children

gettyimagesbankBy Bahk Eun-jiThe central and local governments are expanding their support for children with multicultural backgrounds, with the goals of guaranteeing their right to education and better facilitating their integration into Korean society.The Ministry of Justice said, Wednesday, that the F-4 visa for overseas Koreans will be available for underage children here who are either ethnic Korean Chinese or ethnic Koreans from former Soviet Union states, starting Jan. 3.Children attending elementary, middle or high school here, or those between ages six and 18 not attending school due to long-term treatment for disease or disabilities, will be subject to the new visa system.The measure was designed to resolve unstable stay statuses and guarantee the right to education for children eligible for F-1 visas, which allow for temporary stays in Korea of up to two years for family members in accordance with their parents' residential visa status.Until now, these children were required to graduate high school in Korea in order to receive the F-4 visa. Previously, if a child's parents

Dec 29, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji

Central, local gov'ts increase support for multicultural children

10 Korean indie singles to remember 2021

So!YoON! appears in a still for the music video to "Wings" in which she collaborated with Phum Viphurit of Thailand. / Courtesy of So!YoON! By Daniel J. SpringerWhile 2021 has not amounted to the turnaround year many expected it to be, amidst the doom and gloom of this relentless pandemic there have surely been some great things going on. The releases from the indie scene in Korea is one very notable positive to take out of 2021, and below is a selection of great tunes released this year that you might have missed.A couple of quick notes before we begin: This list is obviously nothing comprehensive, as 10 songs is an infinitesimally tiny proportion of the larger landscape, and these are by no means ranked, with one important exception. Not all of these are attached to larger releases, but if they are, we duly note with a bit of a review of the larger works.So!YoON! with Phum Viphurit: “Wings” For those that are familiar with these two artists, this one-off collabora

Dec 28, 2021By Jon Dunbar

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