North Chungcheong announced Tuesday that international students in the province surpassed 10,000, prompting plans to provide more employment support and admissions assistance in hopes that the increase will continue.

According to North Chungcheong, there were 10,331 international students attending universities in the province as of April 1. The figure is up 95 percent on year.


The province announced plans to reach 10,000 by end of 2025 in July 2023, achieving their goal before the deadline.

Cheongju, home to universities such as Chungbuk National University and Cheongju University, has the most international students with 7,269. Eumseong County follows with 1,070, Jecheon with 1,053, Chungju with 449, Goesan County with 317, Yeongdong County with 106 and Okcheon County with 70.

Aiming to continue attracting more international students, more support will be offered.

The province is currently looking into creating a policy that would give subsidies to local companies that hire international students as regular full-time employees. A job fair will be hosted by the province around September, with local companies attending and hiring international students.

Aiming to help prospective students, the province will open a Study in Chungbuk website that offers admissions information for 18 universities in the region. Basic information such as each school's admissions website, the number of international students, available campus facilities and scholarships will be listed.

Information about visas available for students after graduation and jobs in North Chungcheong will also be posted.

Although the website is currently accessible, its official opening date as a beta service is set for April 14, according to North Chungcheong.

Students applying to certain degree programs at North Chungcheong will be able to enjoy eased minimum bank balance requirements under the regional visa system, which allows local governments to tailor visa requirements based on their needs.

D-2 visa applicants who will study in North Chungcheong needed to show proof of a minimum bank balance of 16 million won ($10,860). But those set to study in degree programs regarding aerospace, cosmetics, food, bio, fundamental manufacturing fields, semiconductors and social welfare will be allowed to show a minimum bank balance of 8 million won.

For the next two years, North Chungcheong has a quota of 830 for its regional visa.

"We plan to go beyond just having 10,000 international students, helping them become key talent in the local economy and assisting them in settling down in the region," said Park Sun-hee, head of the province's Foreigner Policy Promotion Group.

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]