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Illegal foreign residents in Korea fall below 400,000 for first time in 4 years after crackdowns

Published: 07 Feb. 2025, 18:20

SEO JI-EUN
[email protected]

The Ministry of Justice in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi [NEWS1]

The number of illegal foreign residents in Korea fell below 400,000 for the first time in four years following intensified crackdowns under the government's five-year reduction plan, the Justice Ministry said Friday.

According to the ministry, the number of undocumented foreigners was around 410,000 in 2022 and peaked at 430,000 in 2023 due to an increase in foreign workers and international students. However, as of January, the figure fell to 394,000.

Since 2023, authorities have strengthened enforcement through continuous monitoring and regular joint crackdowns with police and other agencies. As a result, the number of illegal foreign residents has decreased, the ministry explained.

Last year alone, two large-scale government-led joint crackdowns and regular crackdowns led to a record-high 45,442 illegal foreign residents being apprehended. Additionally, authorities cracked down on brokers in illegal employment and immigration and prosecuted 318 individuals, including 27 arrests. Employers who hired undocumented workers were also targeted, with approximately 9,000 violators fined a total of 50 billion ($34.6).

Alongside strict enforcement, the government said it has promoted voluntary departures. In 2023, 46,229 undocumented foreigners left the country, a 7.3 percent increase from the previous year.

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]