Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) has been selected as a participating university in the Ministry of Justice's new innovative talent policy program, the 'K-STAR Visa Track'.

With this designation, JBNU has been officially recognized as a core university equipped with a comprehensive global talent platform that enables outstanding foreign talent in science and technology to grow stably through study, research, employment, and long-term settlement.

On the 5th, JBNU was granted participating-university status at the 'K-STAR Visa Track Plaque Presentation Ceremony and Meeting' held at the Ministry of Justice in the Gwacheon Government Complex.

The K-STAR Visa Track (Korea-Science & Technology Advanced human-Resources) is a new system directly established by the state to create a residence pathway that links study–research–employment–permanent residency so that foreign talent in the science and technology fields can settle long term in Korea.

The program extends the "fast-track" for permanent residency and naturalization for outstanding science and technology talent, which had previously applied only to five science and technology institutes including KAIST, to general universities. It is evaluated as a strategic core initiative promoted by the government amid intensifying global competition for talent. This selection is also regarded as greatly expanding JBNU's status and role.

Accordingly, JBNU President Yang O-bong received the authority to directly nominate outstanding international students. Nominated candidates will receive exceptional benefits, including ▲ the grant of residence status (F-2) without immediate employment requirements upon graduation, ▲ eligibility to apply for permanent residency (F-5) after three years, and ▲ the possibility to apply for special naturalization regardless of length of stay if they possess outstanding research achievements.

Building on this selection, JBNU will establish a global talent ecosystem in which master's- and doctoral-level foreign researchers can proceed stably from study to settlement in the local community.

In particular, the ability to implement a settlement-based global talent circulation model linked to the demands of the Jeonbuk Research and Development Special Zone and industry—such as convergence materials and components, agri-life convergence, and future mobility and mechanical sectors—is expected to further accelerate strengthening regional innovation capacity and realizing the vision of a research-centered university.

JBNU plans to create a dedicated K-STAR platform centered on the Office of International Affairs and, in collaboration with the Innovation Division of Graduate School and other units, build a comprehensive support system that covers foreign talent's adaptation to life in Korea, research support, and regional settlement programs.

The university also intends to link this initiative with core strategic projects such as BK21, Glocal University 30, and RISE to elevate its global research competitiveness.

President Yang O-bong stated, “JBNU has been officially recognized by the government for enabling the stable settlement and research activities of outstanding global talent,” and added, “We will complete a virtuous-cycle model of 'study–research–employment–settlement' for science and technology talent and strive to leap forward as a research-centered university that attracts worldwide attention.”