Concentration in Asian Countries Such as Vietnam, China, and Mongolia
Vietnamese Students Account for the Largest Share at 39%
The number of international students registered at domestic universities and language training institutions has surpassed 270,000 for the first time ever.
According to the "Immigration and Foreign Policy Monthly Statistics" for July 2024 released by the Immigration Policy Headquarters of the Ministry of Justice on September 1, the total number of international students residing in South Korea was tallied at 272,573. This figure represents a 17.5% increase compared to the same month last year (232,031).
On the 21st of last month, international students who completed the ceremony at the 2024 Fall Semester Foreign Student Graduation Farewell Ceremony held at Dong-A University Bumin Campus in Seo-gu, Busan, are taking commemorative photos in front of the Seokdang Museum. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
Breaking down the numbers, 190,061 students, or about 70% of the total, were enrolled at universities to obtain degrees (D-2 visa). There were 82,396 students who entered the country for Korean language training (D-4-1 visa), and 116 students held D-4-7 visas for foreign language training purposes.
This upward trend demonstrates a resurgence in the influx of international students, which had slowed in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of international students, which stood at around 130,000 in 2017, steadily increased to over 180,000 in 2019. However, due to the impact of the pandemic, the figure dropped to the 150,000 range in 2020. Since 2021, the numbers have rebounded, increasing by 20,000 to 40,000 each year, and this year, for the first time, the total has surpassed 270,000.
As of July 2024, the total number of foreign residents in South Korea is approximately 2.73 million, with international students accounting for 10% of the foreign population. By nationality, Vietnamese students make up the largest group at 106,152, accounting for about 39% of all international students. They are followed by students from China (71,509), Uzbekistan (16,934), Mongolia (16,832), and Nepal (13,285).
Among international students holding D-2 visas, 1,196 individuals switched to illegal stay status from January to July this year, a slight decrease compared to the same period last year (1,079). On the other hand, among those holding general training visas (D-4), the number of illegal residents was 1,302, a slight increase compared to the same period last year (1,621).
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