President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during an emergency economic meeting with economy-related ministers and presidential secretaries at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Thursday. During the nationally televised meeting, Yoon stressed the government's efforts to reinvigorate the economy and people's livelihoods. Yonhap

Yoon stresses government's full-fledged efforts to reinvigorate economy

By Nam Hyun-woo

The government will expand the issuance of work visas to foreigners to a record high next year, in an effort to assist small businesses suffering from a shortage of workers, the labor minister said during a presidential meeting on the economy, Thursday.

During the emergency meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jung-sik said the government will issue E-9 visas to 110,000 foreigners next year. The E-9 visa is given to foreigners seeking manual jobs at small- and medium-sized businesses here.

"As far as I know, small enterprises are suffering from a serious shortage of workers," Lee said. "This year, we allowed 70,000 foreign workers to enter, and the number will be expanded to 110,000 next year, which will be the largest since the country introduced the work permit system," he added.

According to the ministry, the number of foreign workers holding E-9 visas stood at 277,000 in December 2019. But the number declined to 218,000 in December of last year largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.