MigrantoNorth Korean Diaspora
46.4K North Koreans live abroad — the #166 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 84% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Japan | 23696 |
| China | 9636 |
| Argentina | 5447 |
| Mali | 2322 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 1693 |
| Guinea | 1144 |
| Mongolia | 718 |
| Denmark | 328 |
| Russia | 172 |
| Gabon | 171 |
| South Africa | 161 |
| Tajikistan | 154 |
| Namibia | 110 |
| Portugal | 92 |
| Honduras | 63 |
| Belarus | 57 |
| Bulgaria | 51 |
| Costa Rica | 51 |
| Cambodia | 45 |
| Venezuela | 41 |
| Norway | 40 |
| Greece | 35 |
| Cyprus | 33 |
| Hungary | 20 |
| Luxembourg | 17 |
| Slovakia | 15 |
| Colombia | 13 |
| Bolivia | 11 |
| Ecuador | 10 |
| Latvia | 9 |
| Chile | 7 |
| Finland | 6 |
| Lithuania | 6 |
| Estonia | 3 |
| Sierra Leone | 2 |
| Iceland | 0 |
| Slovenia | 0 |
By destination region
Asia is the leading destination region at 77%
35.9K
5.6K
3.9K
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from North Korea.
Japan is the primary destination for emigrants
Japan attracts 51% of all emigrants from North Korea, while the second-largest destination receives just 21%.
The share of emigrants going to Asia has grown since 1990
The share of emigrants going to Asia has shifted from 39.4% to 77.5% since 1990.
Top emigration destinations have shifted significantly since 1990
6 new countries have entered the top 20 destinations: Mali, Guinea, Portugal — Mali rose from outside the top 20 to rank #4.
Emigration has become more concentrated over time
The top destination's share rose from 31% to 51%, with Japan increasingly the primary choice.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 31450 |
| 1995 | 33120 |
| 2000 | 34814 |
| 2005 | 39887 |
| 2010 | 49563 |
| 2015 | 56701 |
| 2020 | 50879 |
| 2024 | 46379 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | Japan | China | Argentina | Mali | Kyrgyzstan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 9095 | 2191 | 4562 | 0 | 800 |
| 1995 | 11649 | 2619 | 4422 | 0 | 1058 |
| 2000 | 14431 | 3116 | 4310 | 0 | 1280 |
| 2005 | 17386 | 3709 | 4570 | 0 | 1654 |
| 2010 | 23177 | 4470 | 4994 | 1434 | 2017 |
| 2015 | 32937 | 6243 | 5163 | 1764 | 1777 |
| 2020 | 27629 | 8353 | 5318 | 2069 | 1729 |
| 2024 | 23696 | 9636 | 5447 | 2322 | 1693 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
North Korea as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from North Korea
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do North Koreans move to?
Most North Koreans have moved to Japan, China and Argentina — these three countries account for about 84% of all North Koreans living abroad.
How many North Koreans live abroad?
Around 46.4K North Koreans live abroad, making it the #166-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of North Korea lives abroad?
About 0% of the population of North Korea lives abroad — that's 46.4K out of a total population of 26.5M.
How has emigration from North Korea changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from North Korea has fallen from 56.7K to 46.4K people, a decline of about 18%.
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