A majority of South Korea's small and mid-sized firms are suffering a manpower shortage due to a sharp drop in the number of foreign workers as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to a recent survey conducted by the Korea Federation of SMEs on nearly eight-hundred manufacturers, over 92-percent responded that they're facing difficulties due to a manpower shortage, while 65-percent requested an expansion of the annual foreign worker quota from the current 40-thousand to 50-thousand or more. 

The government has previously extended the stay of foreign workers by one year for those who were set to leave this year as part of efforts to help SMEs reeling from the pandemic.

However, over 95-percent said they hope for an additional extension of the measure.