MigrantoImmigrants in South Korea
1.6M foreigners live in South Korea — 3% of the country's population
Immigrants in South Korea by country
The 3 largest groups make up 75% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| China | 756684 |
| Vietnam | 260609 |
| Thailand | 199861 |
| Uzbekistan | 59361 |
| USA | 53226 |
| Mongolia | 45698 |
| Nepal | 43743 |
| Philippines | 37555 |
| Cambodia | 33452 |
| Kazakhstan | 30061 |
| Russia | 28324 |
| Indonesia | 27807 |
| Myanmar | 25739 |
| Sri Lanka | 16851 |
By region of origin
95% of immigrants come from Asia
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Key facts
Immigrants in South Korea in numbers
People born in Thailand are the fastest-growing group
The number of people born in Thailand living in South Korea has grown 171% since 2015, from 73.9K to 199.9K.
Chinese are the largest group by a wide margin
47% of all immigrants were born in China, while the next group accounts for just 16%.
26% of all emigrants from Mongolia live in South Korea
No other country has more people born in Mongolia.
The share of immigrants from North America has declined since 1990
21.4% of immigrants came from North America in 1990, compared with 3.3% today.
Immigration drives population growth
18% of the population growth of South Korea since 1990 came from immigrants.
Immigrant population in South Korea over time
Foreigners living in South Korea, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 18491 |
| 1995 | 52713 |
| 2000 | 144417 |
| 2005 | 231739 |
| 2010 | 552277 |
| 2015 | 1182349 |
| 2020 | 1546845 |
| 2024 | 1618971 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in South Korea, by year
| Year | Chinese | Vietnamese | Thais | Uzbeks | Americans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 9546 | 61 | 15 | 222 | 3953 |
| 1995 | 13384 | 3162 | 548 | 1018 | 6818 |
| 2000 | 53430 | 8368 | 3879 | 2127 | 11611 |
| 2005 | 97854 | 16275 | 9883 | 5261 | 13495 |
| 2010 | 296477 | 56508 | 15278 | 10823 | 39891 |
| 2015 | 662499 | 122422 | 73878 | 36989 | 54293 |
| 2020 | 751745 | 199080 | 171058 | 59358 | 65941 |
| 2024 | 756684 | 260609 | 199861 | 59361 | 53226 |
Fastest-changing groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in South Korea
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in South Korea
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in South Korea?
Around 1.6M immigrants live in South Korea — the world's #43 largest immigrant population.
What percentage of the population of South Korea are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 3% of the population of South Korea — that's 1.6M out of a total population of 51.8M.
Where do most immigrants in South Korea come from?
Most immigrants in South Korea come from China, Vietnam and Thailand — these three countries account for about 75% of all immigrants.
How many Chinese live in South Korea?
Around 756.7K Chinese live in South Korea — about 47% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in South Korea growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in South Korea has grown from 1.2M to 1.6M, about 37%.
Where does the data on immigrants in South Korea come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in South Korea. Their children born in South Korea are not included.
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Living in South Korea
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