The government will revise regulations to allow more immigrant women to work as translators and interpreters at state agencies and private firms, in a bid to make better use of their bilingual talent, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said Tuesday.
State-funded multicultural family support centers have been operating a pool of interpreters among women who have married South Korean husbands and settled in the country. Those who have earned a minimum of Level 4 proficiency in Korean language were hired to translate.
The ministry said it is planning to ease the requirements so that those who obtain Level 3 proficiency would be able to work as "assistant"
translators or interpreters.
The government will consider expanding the system after a three-month trial period, the ministry said.
The assistant translators will be paid 800,000 won (US$688) per month, the ministry added.
The government is also planning to introduce a translation specialist program by next year, under which those who earn Level 6 on the Korean
proficiency test can work in government agencies and companies.
According to statistics compiled by the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, 102,713 foreigners were living in the country as of May 2008 after marrying South Korean spouses.