Almaty region governor Marat Sultangaziyev has met with a South Korean delegation to discuss Kazakhstan’s potential access to legal employment opportunities in South Korea through the country’s Employment Permit System (EPS).

The meeting was also attended by Vice Minister of Labor and Social Protection Viktoria Shegay, alongside representatives of local executive bodies, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

Sultangaziyev stressed that the initiative goes beyond overseas employment. He noted that the priority is to establish a clear, protected, and transparent labor migration mechanism that allows Kazakh people to work abroad legally, gain international experience, and acquire new professional skills-while strengthening Kazakhstan’s own labor migration framework.

The Korean delegation outlined how EPS operates in sectors facing labor shortages, offering a regulated pathway for recruiting foreign workers. Director of the Almaty region’s mobile employment center Abylai Zuaida said negotiations have entered their second phase. During the first phase, the two countries signed a memorandum, and South Korea is now assessing Kazakhstan’s readiness to supply qualified workers.

As part of this process, the delegation is visiting colleges and training centers to evaluate workforce preparation. If all requirements are met, the sides are expected to sign a full memorandum. Kazakhstan’s potential inclusion in EPS would also lead to the opening of specialized training centers nationwide to prepare workers specifically for employment in South Korea.

The final decision will be made by an inter-ministerial commission once all preparatory stages are completed. South Korea is expected to accept around 109,000 foreign seasonal workers this year.

Discussions on Kazakhstan’s participation in EPS have been ongoing. Last August, First Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection Askarbek Yertayev held talks with South Korean Ambassador Cho Tae-ick on further steps toward Kazakhstan’s inclusion in the system.