To cope with fast growing number of foreign residents, the ministry will set up a unit to help coordinate immigration policies with related ministries and agencies.

The number of foreigners staying in Korea already exceeded the 2 million mark, the ministry said stressing the need to set up an integrated management system.

“We will quickly establish a unified immigration policy at the pan-government level through the establishment of a coordinating unit and secure the budget by preventing overlapping or inefficient policies,” explained a Justice Ministry official.

The Ministry of Justice will push for a customized visa policy for overseas Koreans staying in Korea in the first half of this year. It will ease employment restrictions on overseas Koreans working in the food and accommodation industries.

At the same time, the crackdown on illegal migrants will be strengthened. The ministry said it will halve the number in five years from the current 410,000, by establishing a strict migrant policy.