Since 1991, Korea has experienced a large influx of foreign workers, and the government has utilized trainee programs since 1992.
On the legal front, the Korean state still allows foreigners to apply for low-wage jobs and excludes them from social benefits.
The social dimension of nationhood is shown by public-opinion polls of Korean citizens' attitudes towards foreign workers, which demonstrate discrimination.
[1] As of the end of June 2011, 166,518 foreigners had overstayed their working visas, a reduction from 177,955 in 2009 and 168,515 in 2010, according to the authorities.
[2][3] In 2011, the South Korean government temporarily refused to accept Vietnamese migrants.