MigrantoSouth Korean Diaspora
2M South Koreans live abroad — 4% of the population of South Korea
South Korean diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 80% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| USA | 1083174 |
| Japan | 393944 |
| Canada | 151409 |
| Australia | 114174 |
| China | 65073 |
| Vietnam | 48707 |
| New Zealand | 31878 |
| Thailand | 16518 |
| Sweden | 12163 |
| Brazil | 9395 |
| Mexico | 9104 |
| Denmark | 8936 |
| Norway | 8709 |
| Indonesia | 6527 |
| North Korea | 5574 |
| Argentina | 5368 |
| Hong Kong | 5214 |
| Taiwan | 4824 |
| Italy | 4692 |
| Belgium | 4534 |
| Philippines | 4520 |
| Malaysia | 3410 |
| Guam | 2996 |
| Paraguay | 2942 |
| Hungary | 2278 |
| Guatemala | 2113 |
| Mongolia | 2103 |
| Russia | 1762 |
| Czech Republic | 1596 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 1458 |
| Peru | 1313 |
| Chile | 1190 |
| Luxembourg | 1136 |
| Kazakhstan | 1104 |
| Finland | 835 |
| Libya | 804 |
| Panama | 737 |
| South Africa | 686 |
| Slovakia | 662 |
| Colombia | 659 |
| Dominican Republic | 633 |
| Bolivia | 626 |
| Sri Lanka | 618 |
| Guinea | 394 |
| Costa Rica | 364 |
| Egypt | 352 |
| Ecuador | 317 |
| Bulgaria | 316 |
| American Samoa | 296 |
| Venezuela | 248 |
| Greece | 226 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 220 |
| Gabon | 208 |
| Brunei | 177 |
| Portugal | 164 |
| El Salvador | 131 |
| Estonia | 101 |
| Mauritania | 80 |
| Iceland | 74 |
| Faroe Islands | 70 |
| Honduras | 70 |
| Palau | 70 |
| Nicaragua | 64 |
| Papua New Guinea | 63 |
| Cambodia | 61 |
| Slovenia | 54 |
| Micronesia | 47 |
| Namibia | 37 |
| Bhutan | 34 |
| Latvia | 30 |
| Solomon Islands | 29 |
| Belarus | 27 |
| Croatia | 22 |
| Lithuania | 14 |
| Cyprus | 6 |
| Liechtenstein | 4 |
| Puerto Rico | 4 |
| Sierra Leone | 1 |
By region
61% of the diaspora lives in North America
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Key facts
The South Korean diaspora in numbers
The community in Vietnam is growing fastest
The number of South Koreans living in Vietnam has grown 219% since 2015, from 15.3K to 48.7K.
Most South Koreans abroad live in the USA
53% of the diaspora lives in the USA, while the next country accounts for just 19%.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
4 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: Thailand, Mexico, Taiwan. Thailand climbed from outside the top 20 to #8.
The share of the diaspora living in Asia has declined since 1990
43.3% of the diaspora lived in Asia in 1990, compared with 27.5% today.
South Korean diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 1744465 |
| 1995 | 1812749 |
| 2000 | 1897540 |
| 2005 | 2001950 |
| 2010 | 2164782 |
| 2015 | 2162256 |
| 2020 | 2038995 |
| 2024 | 2030473 |
Largest communities over time
South Koreans living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | USA | Japan | Canada | Australia | China |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 858465 | 668326 | 30287 | 21362 | 60637 |
| 1995 | 912885 | 642133 | 45107 | 29158 | 71176 |
| 2000 | 970756 | 608398 | 66057 | 36381 | 84711 |
| 2005 | 1038088 | 569953 | 91740 | 51162 | 100830 |
| 2010 | 1128067 | 540208 | 126371 | 83946 | 118141 |
| 2015 | 1126824 | 521159 | 147072 | 106655 | 86238 |
| 2020 | 1091276 | 451485 | 139971 | 111668 | 60578 |
| 2024 | 1083174 | 393944 | 151409 | 114174 | 65073 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of South Koreans in each country has changed since the selected year
South Koreans among immigrants in other countries
Where South Koreans make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many South Koreans live outside South Korea?
Around 2M South Koreans live abroad, the world's #39 largest diaspora.
Where do most South Koreans abroad live?
Most South Koreans live in USA, Japan and Canada — these three countries account for about 80% of all South Koreans living abroad.
Which country has the largest South Korean population outside South Korea?
USA is home to the largest South Korean community abroad — 1.1M people, about 53% of all South Koreans living abroad.
What share of the population of South Korea lives abroad?
About 4% of the population of South Korea lives abroad — that's 2M out of a total population of 51.8M.
Is the South Korean diaspora growing?
No — over the past decade, the number of South Koreans living abroad has fallen from 2.2M to 2M, about 6%.
Where does the data on the South Korean diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in South Korea who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
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Living in South Korea
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