KOREAN NET

The Seoul Metropolitan Government could allow expats to drive town buses around the capital on the E-9 (non-professional employee) visa. Shown is such a bus in the city's Seongbuk-gu District. (Yonhap News)

By Lee Jihae

The Seoul Metropolitan Government seeks to hire foreign nationals to drive town buses as early as next year.

The move was spurred by the difficulty of finding people to fill such positions due to the aging population.

To this end, the city sent an official proposal on Oct. 28 to the Office for Government Policy Coordination, Prime Minister's Secretariat to include transportation on the list of industries eligible to hire E-9 (non-professional employee) visa holders. It also asked to expand the related employment period from three to five years.

The office sent the request to the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

The ministry will reportedly consider the qualifications, skills and nature of work in city bus transportation to determine the suitability of allowing E-9 holders to drive town buses.

Under law, only two types of expat can work as bus drivers: holders of the work and visit (H-2) visa for ethnic Koreans from China, Russia and former Soviet republics and another (F-4) for such people from other countries.

The city said it can launch pilot hiring of such drivers next year if the ministry decides on the issue this year.

jihlee08@korea.kr