Facing a shrinking domestic population and mounting labor shortages, Korea is pivoting its international education strategy. Instead of simply recruiting foreign students for university tuition revenues, the government is building pipelines to convert international graduates into permanent local workers. The Ministry of Education on Tuesday unveiled the winners of its inaugural competition recognizing universities that successfully help international students secure jobs, launch startups and settle in regional communities. Kyung Hee University and Jeonju Vision College took top honors in the general and vocational university categories, respectively, while Kangwon National University, Kyungsung University, Chungnam National University and Kyungbok University earned runner-up awards. The initiative comes as Korea seeks to address a glaring gap in its higher education landscape: Despite rising international enrollment, the post-graduation employment rate for foreign students stands at just 33.4 percent, compared to the overall graduate average of 69.5 percent. "We must expand support so th