Number of foreigners in Korea reaches 2.8 million in August

The number of foreign nationals residing in South Korea surged to 2.87 million in August, marking a 5.3% increase from the previous year, according to government statistics released on Saturday. As of the end of August, long-term residents, defined as those with permanent or extended stays, numbered 2.25 million, while short-term visitors, including tourists, accounted for 629,406 individuals, as per immigration data from the justice ministry.

Chinese nationals constituted the largest demographic among foreign residents, accounting for 34.6% of the total, or 995,562 people. Vietnamese nationals followed with 383,244, and Americans came in third with 181,325. The overall foreign population grew from 2.73 million in August 2025 to the current figure, despite a slight decline from 2.9 million in July.

Out of the 1.64 million registered foreign nationals in Korea, 51.5% resided in the Seoul metropolitan area, while 21.3% were concentrated in the southeastern provinces of North and South Gyeongsang. The foreign population has consistently grown since 2021, when the number fell below 2 million, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.