INCHEON — Labor authorities said they will consider opening the country’s top vocational skills competition to foreign nationals, as demand grows for highly skilled overseas workers in manufacturing and other industries. Lee Byoung-hoon, president of the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD Korea), a government agency overseeing the National Skills Competition, said Tuesday that the agency would consult relevant ministries on expanding eligibility for the annual state-run event. “Because this would require a review and amendment of relevant laws and regulations, we will discuss the matter with the ministries of labor and justice when the opportunity arises,” he said. Currently, foreigners are eligible to compete in regional skills competitions but are barred from participating in the national event under the Act on Encouragement of Skilled Crafts, which limits eligibility to Korean citizens. Mun Hyun-tae, a senior official in charge of global affairs at HRD Korea, said allowing foreign nationals to enter the national competition could help revitalize skills contests