Over 300 foreign nationals have applied for recruit opening at South Korea’s Woori Bank which for the first time among Korean financial institutions invited non-Korean nationals to its regular hiring.

According to the bank on Monday, Woori Bank conducted its first round of interviews for the bank teller position last week. What made this year’s recruitment process different was the newly added section for foreigners on top of the existing general, regional positions.

The opening drew over 300 nationals from 13 countries, including China, Thailand, Russia, Vietnam, Mongolia, and Myanmar with university or higher degrees. Foreign hires in Korean financial institutions so far had been limited to senior positions. Thirty have been shortlisted for interviews last week.

As these foreign workers would need to service not only foreigners but also Koreans, they were tested on their understanding of Korean culture, including Korean language skills, sales mindset, and workplace etiquette, explained the bank.

Candidates would be trimmed down after the next round of interviews with executives. Accepted foreign applicants will go through a five-week training camp with their Korean peers from July. They will also receive the same four-week training required for all new recruits upon employment.

Jung Won-jae, head of the Woori Bank’s sales administration unit, said that the bank’s decision to hire new foreign employees was driven by a need to provide better services for the growing number of foreigners in Korea, which now exceeds 2 million. The recent batch will first be deployed to 15 branches with a high density of foreign residents, including the foreign exchange center in Wongok-dong, Ansan.

By Park Joon-hyung

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