South Korea is issuing an additional 12,900 E-9 visas for nonskilled foreign workers, the Ministry of Labor and Employment announced Monday, in the latest move to address the deepening labor shortage spurred by the country's demographic collapse.

The newly issued visas will be distributed across sectors in need: 5,000 in manufacturing, 4,000 in agriculture and 2,500 in the services sector, as outlined in the announcement. Depending on industry demand, the ministry said it plans to add another 7,000 visas on an as-needed basis.

The issuance comes in addition to the regular quarterly application cycles, indicating a relentless surge in demand across various industries. Over 43,000 E-9 foreign workers have already entered Korea in the fourth quarter of 2023 alone, marking an increase of nearly 10,000 from the same period last year, according to a September government estimate.

Businesses can apply for this expanded quota from Nov. 20-30 either at regional job centers or through the official Employment Permit System website at eps.go.kr, with results expected in December.