South Korea’s Foreign Population Reaches All-Time High

(MENAFN) South Korea has reached a new peak in its foreign resident population, with the total number climbing to 2.73 million, according to government statistics reported by a news agency on Sunday.

The report revealed that nearly one out of every three foreign residents is of Chinese nationality.

As of late June, immigration records from the Ministry of Justice showed that South Korea was home to approximately 1.56 million registered foreign nationals.

In addition, 552,419 individuals with Korean heritage but holding foreign citizenship were also recorded.

A further 620,403 people were staying in the country temporarily, under short-term permits for purposes such as tourism.

The country previously recorded its highest foreign population figure in 2019 at 2.52 million.

However, that number saw a sharp decline to 1.96 million in 2021, primarily due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Since then, the figures have steadily recovered—reaching 2.51 million in 2023 and rising further to 2.65 million by year’s end.

In terms of nationality, Chinese citizens comprised the largest portion, accounting for 35.6% or 972,176 individuals.

The next largest groups included Vietnamese nationals with 341,153, followed by 196,664 Americans. Thai nationals numbered 173,710, while 98,457 Uzbeks were also counted.

A significant portion of the foreign population was concentrated in Seoul and its neighboring metropolitan areas.

Others were distributed throughout the central Chungcheong region and various southern provinces. Nearly 50% of the foreign demographic was between the ages of 20 and 39.

Regarding visa status, about one-fifth of the foreign residents were holders of the F-4 visa, designated for overseas Koreans.

Another 12% were in possession of the E-9 visa, intended for non-specialized workers.

Other common visa categories included F-5 for permanent residency, D-2 for international students, and B-2 for tourists.

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