Vietnamese nationals lead record growth in South Korea’s foreign population

Vietnamese residents have become the fastest-growing foreign community in South Korea, with 270,000 living in the country. Recent official data shows that this rise contributes to a total foreign resident population of 1.69 million, with growth concentrated among people aged 15 to 29, who increased 12.8% in one year. More than 65% of Vietnamese residents participate in the labor force, with many employed in industrial regions and service sectors.

Students push overall growth: The 2025 Immigrant Residence and Employment Survey shows the foreign resident population aged 15 and older grew from 1.56 million the previous year to 1.69 million, an increase of 8.3%. Growth was strongest among younger age groups, with 59,000 more residents aged 15 to 29 and 34,000 more in their 30s. Vietnamese nationals now form the second-largest foreign group after ethnic Korean Chinese, whose population stands at 506,000, and Vietnamese residents grew 15.5% compared with a 3.3% increase among Chinese nationals.

Integration and economic demand: The foreign workforce reached a record 1.1 million, with 65.5% of foreign residents employed. Nearly 45% work in manufacturing and mining while 20.4% are employed in retail, wholesale, accommodation and food services. Student visa holders also increased by 18.2%, with about 100,000 Vietnamese students enrolled in Korean universities compared with 45,000 Chinese and 17,000 Uzbek students. Many foreign residents cite high wages and favorable working conditions as key reasons for living and working in South Korea.