The surge comes at a time when the overall population of the country is steadily declining, emphasizing a growing dependence on immigrants to maintain a population above the 50 million mark.
The surge comes at a time when the overall population of the country is steadily declining, emphasizing a growing dependence on immigrants to maintain a population above the 50 million mark.
The number of foreign nationals in South Korea hit a historic high of 1.43 million in May, signifying a 9.9 percent increase from the previous year, according to a new report by Statistics Korea.
The surge comes at a time when the overall population of the country is steadily declining, emphasizing a growing dependence on immigrants to maintain a population above the 50 million mark, the Korea Times reported.
According to the latest statistics, 923,000 foreign nationals are currently employed in Korea, with over half of them falling in the age group of 30 or younger.
The trend aligns with the agency’s projections, forecasting that if the ongoing demographic crisis persists, one in three individuals within the working-age population (15 to 64) will be foreign nationals by the year 2072.
Comparing May 2023 to the previous year, the total number of foreign nationals saw a 9.9 percent increase, marking the highest figure since 2012 when the government first started compiling relevant data.
The year-on-year surge is attributed to the post-pandemic era, leading to an influx of unskilled laborers from abroad and international students, according to a senior official from Statistics Korea.
The official highlighted that while the number of foreign residents remained relatively stable during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, there was a notable increase in 2023.
Breaking down the demographics, 813,000 or 56.8 percent of the total foreign population were men, while 617,000 or 43.2 percent were women.
The largest share of the foreign population by country of origin was held by ethnic Koreans from China (472,000), followed by Vietnamese (201,000) and Chinese (135,000).
In terms of year-on-year growth, the number of Vietnamese residents saw an increase of 32,000, outpacing the growth of Chinese residents by 5,000. However, the number of ethnic Koreans decreased by 7,000.
Moreover, the employment landscape witnessed a surge, with 923,000 foreigners securing jobs in Korea, marking an 80,000 increase (9.5 percent) compared to the previous year. Among these, individuals in their 30s accounted for 33.3 percent of the foreign workforce, followed by those aged 15 to 29 at 23.2 percent.
The mining and manufacturing sectors emerged as the primary employers of foreign workers, constituting 44.6 percent of the workforce.
Additionally, 18.4 percent were employed in wholesale and retail sales, accommodation, and restaurant businesses, while 15.5 percent worked in public services and small businesses.
Notably, 94.5 percent (873,000) of foreign employees were salaried workers, with over half earning monthly wages ranging from two million won to three million won.
In the realm of education, the number of foreign students surged by 14.1 percent year-on-year, reaching a total of 188,000. Vietnam contributed the largest share at 38.3 percent, followed by China at 27.7 percent, and Uzbekistan at 6.4 percent.
Int’l student enrollment
The latest data from Statista highlighted a consistent upward trend in international student enrollment in South Korean universities, with the exception of the years 2020 and 2021.
In 2022, the number of international students reached over 167,000, reflecting a nearly 10 percent increase from the previous year.
The progression of international student enrollment in South Korea over the years is as follows: 124,000 in 2017, 142,000 in 2018, 160,000 in 2019, 153,000 in 2020, 152,000 in 2021, and 167,000 in 2022.
Study Korea 300K Project
In response to challenges posed by a declining school-age population and issues in university enrollment, South Korea’s Ministry of Education has initiated the “Study Korea 300K Project.”
This five-year strategy aims to position the country as a global education hub by attracting 300,000 international students by 2027, as reported by Nairametrics.
Education Minister Lee Ju-ho expressed optimism about the project’s potential to stimulate the regional economy and enhance the global competitiveness of domestic universities and high-tech industries.
During a media briefing via Korea Times, he emphasized the commitment to providing institutional support for students studying in Korea, with the goal of retaining talented individuals needed by the country.
“We will do our best to institutionally support students studying in Korea so that talented people the country needs can settle here,” he said.
Efforts for global student appeal
Korean universities are implementing changes to accommodate more international students such as increased scholarships, eased residency permits, reduced language requirements, lower minimum bank balances, and extended work hours for applicants, the Hankyoreh reported.
The focus is on diversifying the student population and decreasing reliance on specific countries like China, Vietnam, and Uzbekistan, which currently contribute two-thirds of international student quotas, mainly in humanities programs.
Specifically targeting STEM fields, scholarships will be expanded, with additional quotas for students interested in defense and nuclear technology.
To enhance the appeal of Korean higher education, the government plans to expedite permanent residency applications for individuals with Korean graduate and postgraduate degrees, shortening the current six-year process to three years.
Efforts to encourage international graduates’ retention for employment include potential modifications to the International Education Quality Assurance System, potentially relaxing proficiency level requirements on the Test of Proficiency in Korean (Topik) to admit entrants with only Level 3 proficiency.
However, some university officials express concerns about maintaining language standards, as applicants often lack proficiency in both Korean and English.
Beyond scholarships and language requirements, the South Korean government aims to lower the minimum bank balance required for student visas, facilitate permanent residency, and allow increased work hours for students studying in the country.
