S. Korea, France launch working holiday program

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By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- As many as 2,000 South Koreans will be allowed to work and travel in France every year under a new program agreed to by the two nations, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday.

Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan signed the deal on the "working holiday" program
with the French Ambassador to Seoul, Philippe Thiebaud, it added.
The program will take effect in 2009 and is intended to provide South Koreans
aged between 18-30 with legal opportunities to find employment in France for up
to one year. Currently, South Koreans are granted short-term three-month visas
when visiting France and are prohibited from working there.
The new program is reciprocal, with an annual quota of 2,000 beneficiaries for
each nation. Those with criminal records, however, cannot apply.
South Korea already operates working holiday programs with Australia, Japan,
Canada, and New Zealand.
"More than 30,000 South Koreans take part in them each year," the ministry said
in a press release.
South Korea is currently in consultation with these countries to expand the
program to include more people and is also pushing to establish the working
holiday program with Germany, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands, it
said.
"Our ministry also plans to set up a task force on global internship programs to
support (outgoing) working holidaymakers and provide foreign participants with
related information," the ministry said.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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