The Overseas Koreans Foundation will more actively take part in creating jobs for South Korean youth by expanding a recruitment program at an annual World Korean Business Convention, said Han Woo-sung, new head of the state-run foundation.

“We will assist Korean youth in going global through the World Korean Business Convention,” Han said in an interview with Maeil Business Newspaper on Tuesday, a day before the opening of the 16th World Korean Business Convention. The foundation will also seek to foster the World Korean Business Convention that currently serves a main purpose to provide business networking for Korean businessmen living abroad as an event that can delve into not only economy-related issues but also up-to-date social and cultural issues that 7.4 million Koreans living in foreign countries care, added Han.

The three-day 16th World Korean Business Convention will kick off on Wednesday at Changwon Exhibition Convention Center in South Gyeongsang Province in Korea under the theme of “The better Hansang, For better Korea.” About 3,500 Korean business professionals including 1,000 from overseas in 50 countries and 2,500 from home will attend the convention.

As part of efforts to create more jobs for Korean youth, the convention organizer will offer an expanded and upgraded overseas internship program at this year’s event in cooperation with Korean businesses operating outside the country. The convention first introduced an overseas internship program in 2015 to offer young Korean job seekers overseas job opportunities. Korean companies based in foreign countries have conducted on-site interviews during the event period to hire Korean youth, and they are expected to recruit a record 100 job seekers at the convention this year.

Amid growing trade protectionism around the world and Beijing’s ongoing retaliation against Korean businesses following the deployment of Seoul’s Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, Han hoped that the upcoming convention can allow Korean businesses to find solutions to overcome such challenges and give a boost to the Korean economy that has entered a low growth trend.

By Kim Gang-rae, Park Tae-in, and Lee Eun-joo

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]