Foreign residents in Korea reach record high of 2.46 million as international work force spikes
Published: 24 Oct. 2024, 17:39
Updated: 25 Oct. 2024, 15:18
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- KIM MIN-YOUNG
- [email protected]
![Participants focus intently on the questions during a Hangul dictation contest held at Gyeongbok Palace in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Oct 4. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/10/25/f1ccc811-a868-4add-aa38-93c4152a302d.jpg)
Participants focus intently on the questions during a Hangul dictation contest held at Gyeongbok Palace in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Oct 4. [NEWS1]
The number of foreign residents living in Korea reached an all-time high of 2.46 million, accounting for nearly 5 percent of the total population, due to a major increase in the foreign work force.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety released a 2023 report on the status of foreign residents on Thursday based on an analysis of Statistics Korea's population and housing data.
According to the analysis, the number of foreign residents who had lived in the country for more than three months totaled 2.46 million as of Nov. 1, 2023. This is the highest number since data was first collected in 2006. It also marks the second consecutive year that the number of foreign residents has reached a record high, following 2.26 million in 2023.
Foreign residents accounted for 4.8 percent of South Korea's total population of 51.8 million, roughly equivalent to the populations of North Gyeongsang, the sixth largest provincial-level administrative division with 2.59 million people, or Daegu, the seventh largest provincial-level administrative division with 2.38 million people.
The total population includes both Korean nationals and foreign residents. The figure excludes foreigners staying in the country for less than three months before or after the survey period, so it differs from the population registered in the resident registration system.
The number of foreigners without Korean nationality was 1.94 million, an increase of 182,804, or 10.4 percent, compared to the previous year. The number of foreigners who acquired Korean nationality was 234,506, an increase of 10,681, or 4.8 percent. The number of children of foreign residents born in South Korea increased by 7,809, or 2.8 percent, to 289,886.
![International students line up for job interviews at the 2024 Busan International Students Job Fair held in Busan on Sept. 27. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/10/25/5973cda5-3a7e-43b3-ab27-8ca572b513f1.jpg)
International students line up for job interviews at the 2024 Busan International Students Job Fair held in Busan on Sept. 27. [YONHAP]
Compared to last year’s statistics, the increase in foreign workers by 67,111 and international students by 16,932 was significant. These two groups greatly contributed to the overall increase in foreign residents.
Foreign residents increased on-year by more than seven percent in all metropolitan municipalities except Seoul. Non-metropolitan regions, such as South Jeolla with 18.5 percent, South Gyeongsang with 17.0 percent, Ulsan with 15.6 percent, South Chungcheong with 14.4 percent and Gangwon with 14.3 percent, saw substantial increases.
Gyeonggi had the highest number of foreign residents, 809,801, followed by Seoul with 449,014 and Incheon with 160,859. South Chungcheong, with 155,589, and South Gyeongsang, with 150,643, followed. A total of 57.8 percent of foreign residents, or 1.42 million people, were concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area.
The non-metropolitan cities, counties and districts with the largest number of foreign residents were Ansan with 108,033, Hwaseong with 76,711, Siheung with 74,653, Suwon with 71,392 and Bucheon with 58,632, with the top five areas all located in Gyeonggi.
The number of "foreign resident concentration areas," defined as regions where more than 10,000 foreign residents live or where foreign residents make up more than five percent of the population, increased from 97 last year to 127 this year. Of the 30 additional areas, 28 were in non-metropolitan regions. The region with the highest proportion of foreign residents was South Chungcheong at 7.0 percent, followed by Gyeonggi at 5.9 percent, North Chungcheong at 5.5 percent and Jeju at 5.4 percent. Seoul ranked seventh with 4.8 percent.
"As foreign residents now account for 4.8 percent of the total population and are undeniably an important part of our society, we will work with relevant ministries and local governments to ensure they can settle smoothly in each region without difficulty," said Deputy Minister Kim Min-jae.
BY CHO MUN-GYU, KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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