MigrantoMigration trends in North Korea
Asia
North Korea takes in about as many people as it loses: 48.2K immigrants against 46.4K emigrants
26.5M
Population
48.2K
Immigrants
46.4K
Emigrants
+1.8K
Inflow
1 in 550 residents of North Korea was born abroad — and 1 in 572 people born in North Korea lives abroad
Top corridors
The largest migration flows in North Korea
Where people come from
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
31K immigrants · 31.5K emigrants
1995
- Japan replaced Russia as the main destination for those leaving
- The outflow deepened — net losses doubled to 1.5K
2010
- The outflow deepened — net losses doubled to 7.5K
2020
- The gap between arrivals and departures was cut in half
Today
- The country became a destination — more people arriving than leaving
- Since 1990: roughly the same number of foreign-born residents and roughly the same number of emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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