South Korean shipbuilders employ over 8,000 foreign workers in H1 amid labor shortage
The South Korean government provided more than 10,000 workers, including around 8,400 foreign workers, for local shipbuilders in the first half of 2023 in an effort to ease pandemic-related labor shortages, the industry ministry said Wednesday, according to Yonhap.
A total of 10,104 South Korean and foreign workers were employed by shipbuilders here during the January-June period either through the government's job training programs or both professional and non-professional visa issuance, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The government issued the E-7 visa to 5,209 foreign workers and the E-9 visa to 3,179 people from overseas in the first half for their employment in the shipbuilding industry.
Some 1,716 South Koreans got a job in the industry after wrapping up state-run job training programs in the first half, the ministry said.
Domestic shipbuilders were earlier expected to face a manpower shortage of around 14,000 workers combined this year.
The companies relying on immigrant workers have been experiencing a labor shortage due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent heightened border controls, and the government is working to increase the quota of foreign workers to address the issue.
