S. Korean president-elect eyeing changes

SEOUL, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- South Korean President-elect Lee Myung-bak reportedly is considering changes to his country's public service laws, a government committee said Saturday.

The government transition committee said the incoming president wants to revise the country's current public service laws to allow foreign nationals the chance to serve as South Korean government workers, the Yonhap news agency reported.

One committee official said that during a meeting of the minor Democratic Party Friday, Lee told assembled officials he intends to push his proposal forward.

The news agency said Lee cited former Hong Kong Monetary Authority official William Ryback's work with the committee's foreign investment task force as an instance of foreigners working in South Korea.

"Such personnel would be able to work actively in the future," Lee reportedly said at the political meeting.

Currently, foreign nationals are only allowed to work in certain government fields as public service workers and only for a limited amount of time.