The employment rate of foreign graduates in Korea topped 30 percent for the first time, according to the Ministry of Education Tuesday, in contrast to a decline in Korean graduate employment statistics. An analysis released by the ministry and the Korean Educational Development Institute showed that 36,271 international students completed undergraduate and graduate programs in Korea between August 2023 and February 2024. Of those, 42.9 percent, or 15,576 individuals, ended their stay in Korea. Of those who remained, 4,993 of the 14,966 international graduates eligible for employment, or 33.4 percent, landed jobs locally as of Dec. 31 last year. This represents an increase of 11.7 percentage points from the previous year, when 3,607 foreign graduates secured jobs. The figures are the first accurate statistics of foreign graduate employment based on cross-ministry data sharing introduced last year, the ministry said. Until 2022, such data was compiled solely through the Basic Higher Education Statistics, relying on email and phone surveys to determine employment status. However, authoritie