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More than 17% of foreigners face discrimination in Korea, number rises for international students

Published: 18 Mar. 2025, 17:59

LEE TAE-HEE
[email protected]

International students play yutnori, a Korean traditional board game, during the Busan Glocal Hangul Festival on Dec. 17, 2024. [YONHAP]

Around 17 percent of foreigners in Korea surveyed by Statistics Korea reported experiencing discrimination, with the figure rising to 27.7 percent among international students.

In a Statistics Korea survey of 20,000 foreigners in Korea and 5,000 individuals who gained Korean nationality after 2019, 17.4 percent stated they had experienced discrimination, according to the organization on Tuesday. The survey was conducted in May 2024.

When focusing solely on international students, 27.7 percent reported facing discrimination, the highest rate among the groups surveyed. Professional workers with E-7 visas followed, with 23.7 percent reporting discrimination, while 22.3 percent of marriage immigrants said they experienced the same.

Among all groups of foreigners, except those holding the E-9 non-professional employment visa, respondents cited their country of origin as the primary reason for discrimination. Non-professional workers, on the other hand, pointed to their Korean language skills as the main cause.

Of the total respondents, 64.7 percent were employed, 31.4 percent were economically inactive and 3.9 percent were unemployed.

Of those employed, 45.6 percent worked in the mining and manufacturing industry, 18.9 percent worked in wholesale, retail, lodging and the restaurant industry, and 14.2 percent either operated their own business or worked in the public and services sectors.

Regarding monthly salaries, 51.2 percent of employed respondents earned between 2 and 3 million won ($1,380 and $2,070) a month on average, while 37.1 percent earned more than 3 million won. Another 8.4 percent earned between 1 and 2 million won, and 3.3 percent earned less than 1 million won.

Although the student visa only permits limited part-time work or internships during vacations, 16.2 percent of surveyed international students reported being employed.

Among working international students, 75.9 percent were employed in wholesale, retail, lodging and restaurant industries. Regarding wages, 48.3 percent earned between 1 and 2 million won per month, 39.3 percent earned less than 1 million won and 10.2 percent earned between 2 and 3 million won.

BY LEE TAE-HEE [[email protected]]