Seoul to reduce foreign labor quota by a third

SEOUL, March 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will cut the number of foreigners allowed
in the country to work labor jobs by about one-third as part of an effort to
boost employment among Koreans, the Labor Ministry said Friday.
The foreign labor quota will be slashed to 34,000 people for 2009, down from
about 100,000 last year, according to the ministry.
The Seoul government will also restrict the number of ethnic Koreans from abroad
to just half of this year's foreign labor quota, or 17,000, the ministry said,
adding that ethnic Koreans will not be assigned to domestic construction sites.
The move follows similar steps around the globe. Australia is set to cut its
quota of skilled migrants by 14 percent to open jobs for Australians, the first
such move in 10 years, according to news reports.
The South Korean government has invited large numbers of foreign laborers in
recent years to work in the manufacturing, service and construction sectors,
which had suffered from a labor shortage due to South Koreans' reluctance to take
jobs labeled "3D" -- dirty, dangerous and difficult.
"With the Korean economy mired in a protracted slump, the reduction in foreign
labor quota is aimed at protecting job security of local employees, as well as of
foreign manual workers already staying in South Korea," a ministry official said.
According to Justice Ministry data, the number of foreign workers in South Korea
was estimated to total about 680,000 as of the end of last year, including
450,000 laborers and 200,000 illegal aliens.
brk@yna.co.kr
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