Minister of Justice Jung Sung-ho (center in second row) on April 20 speaks at the first meeting of a council to improve the student visa system at Government Complex-Gwacheon in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do Province. (Ministry of Justice)

By Aisylu Akhmetzianova

Visa screening for foreign students will get stricter but their stays after entering the country will see more freedom under the discretion of their universities.

The Ministry of Justice on April 20 said it launched a council to improve the student visa system to mark the era of 300,000 foreign students in the country.

To discuss the transformation of student visa policy, the council was formed by the government and academia and represents both the public and private sectors. The aim is to strategically attract foreign talent and get them to settle in the provinces by having them attend school there to stimulate provincial economies.

The council decided on strict verification of student visas (D-2 and D-4) before entry but flexible management afterward as the principles for improving the system.

To transparently handle the growing influx of overseas students, the ministry launched a management system comprising universities, overseas diplomatic missions and private agencies for study abroad and boosted academic verification standards in cooperation with related bodies including the Ministry of Education.

The plan is to prevent the denial of visas to students with genuine academic motivation and Korean-language proficiency because of insufficient financial capabilities. Customized strategies will also seek to attract top talent to study in Korea.

Government support will go to universities to help them manage their foreign students independently. A proposed "growth ladder visa structure" will seek to help students get visa extensions for employment.

Council members include Vice Minister of Justice Lee Jin Soo and the chiefs of the Korean Council for University Education, Association of National and Public University Presidents, Korea Educational Development Institute, Migration Research and Training Centre, and Korea Immigration Service.

The results of the discussions will be released in August.

aisylu@korea.kr