KOTRA holds overseas talent recruitment briefing in London for advanced industries

KOTRA held an overseas talent recruitment briefing for advanced industries in London on Friday (local time), the agency announced Sunday. The event followed similar sessions held in major cities on the East and West coasts of the United States, and is aimed at attracting global talent in cutting-edge sectors to South Korea.

London serves as Europe's hub for advanced industries, home to innovative technology companies such as Google DeepMind and Wavve, as well as world-class universities and research institutions. More than 30 professionals and researchers attended the briefing, representing South Korea's eight key advanced industry sectors — including semiconductors, AI and data science, and biotech and healthcare — along with specialists in mechanical and materials engineering.

Ahead of the event, KOTRA's London trade office had been expanding its talent pipeline by partnering with leading universities — University College London, Imperial College London and King's College London — as well as researcher associations including the Korean UK Life Science Association, the Korean Scientists and Engineers Association in the UK, and the Korean Researchers in the UK.

The briefing introduced the K-Tech Pass system and domestic settlement support programs to prospective overseas candidates. The K-Tech Pass is a certification granted to project-leader-level overseas talent who sign employment contracts with South Korean advanced industry companies, offering benefits such as special visa issuance and relocation support.

Samsung Electronics' Device Solutions division also participated, sharing updates on its semiconductor business, global talent trends, opportunities for working in South Korea, and case studies of overseas talent recruitment.

Attendees showed strong interest in the competitiveness of South Korea's advanced industries, employment opportunities, working conditions, and visa and settlement support programs.

KOTRA plans to follow up with one-on-one career consultations for locally based talent interested in working in South Korea. The agency also intends to deepen collaboration with universities, researcher associations and corporate networks to strengthen its global talent attraction efforts in advanced industries.

Kang Sang-yeop, KOTRA executive vice president and head of the SME and mid-sized enterprise division, said the United Kingdom is "a global innovation hub with world-class research capabilities in AI, biotech and data science," adding that KOTRA would "actively support overseas professionals with the expertise to settle stably and grow alongside Korean companies."