The Human Resources Development Service of Korea announced on the 23rd that it has completely revised the 'Korean Language Standard Textbook' for foreigners studying for the Employment Permit System Test of Proficiency in Korean (EPS-TOPIK) for the first time in 11 years.
The Korean Language Standard Textbook is a study material for the Korean language proficiency test that foreigners must take in order to obtain a non-professional (E-9) visa from the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
The corporation has pushed this revision by reflecting policy changes such as the expansion of foreign workers' entry, new employment industries, and improving the industrial site demands. The government has expanded the issuance of E-9 visas, which had been limited to industries such as manufacturing and agriculture, to include restaurant, forestry, and shipbuilding industries.
Specifically, the number of learning units related to foreign workers' duties was expanded from 10 to 18. Additionally, industry safety and health were set as main duties, with their volume more than doubled from before.
The revised standard textbook will be distributed as a booklet to 17 countries sending workers under the employment permit system.
Lee Woo-young, the director of the Human Resources Development Service of Korea, said, "We will continue to support the stable settlement of foreign workers in the country to enhance national competitiveness."