Korea’s E-9 workforce hits record as sector gaps persist

The number of foreign workers in South Korea under the E-9 employment program reached a record 287,424 in July, but four in five remained concentrated in manufacturing, government data showed Wednesday. The figure has risen steadily from 159,463 in 2021 to 203,121 in 2022, 247,191 in 2023, 271,925 in 2024 and 282,839 last year, according to Labor Ministry data submitted to Rep. Kim Wi-sang of the main opposition People Power Party. Introduced in 2004, the Employment Permit System allows small an