According to statistics from the Ministry of Justice, the number of long-term registered foreign residents in Korea surpassed 1.6 million for the first time, reaching 1,606,633 as of November 2025. This represents an 8.0% year-on-year increase from 1,488,091.

Registered foreign residents are those staying in Korea for more than 90 days for purposes such as employment, study, or family, and are required to register and report any change of residence within 14 days.

Key statistical highlights include:

∙         By nationality, among overseas Koreans who registered their residence (553,927), 69.7% were Chinese, followed by nationals of the United States (9.5%), Russia (5.9%), and Uzbekistan (5.3%).

∙         By visa type, non-professional employment (E-9) represented the largest group with 335,122 residents, followed by student visas (D-2) at 222,099, permanent residency (F-5) at 219,266, and marriage immigration (F-6) at 152,546.

∙         Foreign employment also reached a record high, with the total number of foreign workers rising to 1,109,000 in May, surpassing 1.1 million for the first time.

Overall, Korea’s foreign resident population continues to grow steadily, driven primarily by employment, education, and permanent settlement.

Original Source :

https://www.hankyung.com/article/2025122777307