Who moves to South Korea
1.6M people have chosen South Korea for relocation — #43 most popular destination worldwide
Considering a move to South Korea? — See where people come from, regional patterns, and how it's changed since 1990.
Where immigrants come from
The top 3 countries account for 75% of all immigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| China | 756684 |
| Vietnam | 260609 |
| Thailand | 199861 |
| Uzbekistan | 59361 |
| United States | 53226 |
| Mongolia | 45698 |
| Nepal | 43743 |
| Philippines | 37555 |
| Cambodia | 33452 |
| Kazakhstan | 30061 |
| Russia | 28324 |
| Indonesia | 27807 |
| Myanmar | 25739 |
| Sri Lanka | 16851 |
By region of origin
Asia is the leading region of origin at 95%
1.5M
53.2K
28.3K
Interesting facts
Notable statistics about immigration in South Korea.
Thailand is the fastest-growing major source
Immigration from Thailand has increased by 171% since 2015, rising from 73.9K to 199.9K in 9 years.
China is the leading source of immigration by a wide margin
China accounts for 47% of all immigrants, far ahead of the second-largest source at just 16%.
South Korea is a primary destination for emigrants from Mongolia
South Korea attracts 26% of all emigrants from Mongolia, making it the leading destination for those leaving the country.
The share of immigrants from North America has declined since 1990
The share of immigrants from North America has shifted from 21.4% to 3.3% since 1990.
How immigration changed over time
Total immigrant population by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 18491 |
| 1995 | 52713 |
| 2000 | 144417 |
| 2005 | 231739 |
| 2010 | 552277 |
| 2015 | 1182349 |
| 2020 | 1546845 |
| 2024 | 1618971 |
Top sources over time
Immigration from the 5 largest source countries
| Year | China | Vietnam | Thailand | Uzbekistan | United States |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 origins
How immigration from each country has changed since the selected year
South Korea as a destination, by diaspora
Share of each country's emigrants who settled in South Korea