Number of foreigners in Korea reaches 2.8 million in August

The number of foreign nationals in Korea reached 2.87 million last month, up 5.3 percent from a year earlier, government data showed on Saturday.

As of the end of August, long-term foreign residents stood at 2.25 million, while those on short-term stays, including tourists, came to 629,406, according to immigration data from the Ministry of Justice.

By nationality, Chinese nationals accounted for the largest share of 34.6 percent, or 995,562 people, followed by Vietnamese nationals at 383,244 and Americans at 181,325.

While the total number of foreign nationals rose from 2.73 million in August 2025, last month’s figure marked a decline from 2.9 million in July.

Of the 1.64 million registered foreign nationals in Korea, 51.5 percent lived in the greater Seoul area, followed by 21.3 percent in the southeastern provinces of North and South Gyeongsang.

The number of foreigners has steadily risen since 2021, when the figure dropped below 2 million due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Yonhap