South Korea to extend work permits for Kazakhstanis

Kazakhstan’s Minister of Labor Svetlana Zhakupova expects South Korea to adopt an agreement on the Employment Permit System (EPS) program, which would allow Kazakhstani citizens to work legally in the country, by the end of 2024. She explained that the process of finalizing the document has been delayed due to changes in leadership at the South Korean Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL).

«Last month, Kazakhstan’s foreign minister held direct talks with the South Korean labor minister. However, due to a change in leadership at the South Korean labor ministry, the approval process has been delayed. The agreement has been drafted and sent to South Korea for discussion and coordination,» Zhakupova stated on the sidelines of a plenary session in the Mazhilis, the lower house of parliament.

When asked about the timing of the agreement, Zhakupova said that she expects it to be approved by the end of the year.

In October, Kursiv.media reported that South Korea plans to include Kazakhstan in the EPS. This aligns with a statement made last year by Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, who highlighted Seoul’s commitment to strengthening the bilateral partnership between the two nations.

Meanwhile, Aibek Smadiyarov, the official spokesperson for Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, clarified that Kazakhstanis can work in South Korea only with special permits and visas issued at the request of South Korean employers.