Immigration to Korea rises 50% on back of agricultural worker influx, Korean Wave

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Immigration to Korea rises 50% on back of agricultural worker influx, Korean Wave

Published: 20 Nov. 2024, 12:51

International students from Sungkyunkwan University’s Korean Language Center visit Haneul Park in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Thursday. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Korea has seen a 50 percent increase in immigration, mainly due to a foreign worker influx in the agrarian sector and the popularity of Korean culture, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

According to an annual “International Migration Outlook” report by the OECD released last week, permanent immigration to Korea has risen 50.9 percent from 58,000 in 2022 to around 87,000 in 2023.

This increase placed Korea in second place behind Britain among 38 countries that are part of the OECD.

This year’s “International Migration Outlook” says that around 6.5 million people permanently immigrated to OECD countries, setting “a historic new record.” The report also noted that the number of temporary migrants and asylum seekers has “skyrocketed,” with the latter reaching 2.7 million people.

Korea reports the number of foreigners that have stayed in the country for over 90 days to the OECD.

The report says that the flow of seasonal workers increased by 5 percent in 2023, with “significant increases in the United States and Korea.” Seasonal worker immigration has surged by 212 percent in Korea, compared to a 6 percent increase in the United States over the previous year.

In Korea, the number of foreign workers allowed per business has been increased from nine to 12, and the requirement for employment, which previously mandated working for at least one month, has been relaxed to one week.

The widespread popularity of the Korean Wave, or Hallyu, in the cultural and artistic sectors has also had an impact.

The Ministry of Justice attributes the increase in the number of international students and trainees in Korea to the country's rising profile. The number of foreign students has more than doubled over the past decade, rising from around 86,000 in 2013 to about 182,000 in 2023.

Starting this year, the government has set to increase the number of permits under the Employment Permit System, or E-9 visa, to 165,000, with an additional 45,000 compared to last year.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]