Going overseas is like a starting life based on whole new different rules. Every little thing, such as driving direction, is different and sometimes it makes foreign students get tired before starting a new thing. Tempting as it is to steer clear from all difficult trivial laws and confining your daily life, this is not the best way of getting that genuine insight into Korean life you have travelled so far find.
This section is focused on the problems that foreign students might undergo in Korea. We tried to put as much information as possible but for more detail, go to the website (http://oneclick.law.go.kr/CSM/Main).
Medical Treatment
Neglected easily as it is, once you come to Korea, it is important to become a subscriber of the National Health Insurance (NHI). While POSTECH provides insurance for foreign students, some extramural activities such as research field trips require submitting NHI certificates.
Foreign students who are staying for not less than three months in Korea can become subscribers to the NHI. In order to subscribe to NHI, the following documents must be submitted: One copy of the foreigner registration certificate or fact-certification on foreigner registration and one copy of a document proving admission or enrollment. Health insurance premiums are calculated based on the average premium per household of local policy holders at the end of the previous year. Specially for those of D-2 student status, the premium is reduced by 30%. When it comes to visiting a medical clinic or a hospital, the amount charged to a patient with NHI is 20~50 % of the total NHI applicable medical charges.
Post Education
After completing study in Korea, foreign students can obtain employment or go to a higher educational institution. When obtaining employment in Korea, foreign students should change the student sojourn status to a new status. In order to receive permission for sojourn status, you need to visit the head of the competent Immigration Office or a branch office.
In Pohang, the nearest Immigration Office is located at Buk-gu, Pohang-si (Tel.054-247-5363). Required documents vary depending on sort of employment but passports and foreigner registration certificates are all required regardless of status. Importantly, for obtaining research status (E-1, E-3), a diploma, a recommendation from the president of the school or dean, an employment contract, and documents on the business establishment are required.
A foreign student who enters a higher education program with student (D-2) status does not need to change the sojourn status. However, it is required to get permission for an extension of the sojourn period before expiration which may be up to two years for student status.
Permanent Residency
The steps to becoming a permanent residency holder vary by category. In Korea, 45,475 people have achieved their permanent residency status as of 2010 and most of them obtained the status by marriage and family relationships. A permanent resident is granted authorization to live and work in Korea on a permanent basis and gets the right to vote in local elections. Basically, Korean permanent residency is given to adults who have a visa from D-2 to E-7 and have lived more than five years in Korea without any criminal records. In addition, E-1 or E-3 visa holders (professors) are required to take the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIC) at level 2 and satisfy the basic aforementioned conditions.
