SEOUL, July 13 (IANS) South Korea reported a net influx of migrants in 2022, after global travel normalized amid easing concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic, data showed Thursday.
The number of international migrants, referring to those who stay in and out of South Korea for 90 days or more, reached 1.12 million in 2022, up 26.8 percent from the previous year, according to data compiled by Statistics Korea.
Of this figure, arrivals amounted to 606,000, surpassing the number of individuals who left the country, which stood at 518,000, resulting in a net inflow of 88,000, reports Yonhap News Agency.
Statistics Korea noted that this represented a turnaround from the net influx of 66,000 posted in the previous year.
The number of foreign arrivals in particular rose by 87.2 percent year-on-year to 413,000, far outnumbering the 245,000 who left the country.
The number of arrivals from China reached 95 thousand, followed by Vietnam with 52 thousand, and Thailand with 35 thousand, with the three countries accounting for 43.9 percent of the total.
Of the total foreign expats, 33.4% visited South Korea to find jobs, followed by education at 21.5%.
Those who moved to the country permanently, including marriage, scored 12.7 percent.
– Jans
ksk
