Last year, foreign students flocked to Seoul, while foreign workers gravitated to the Chungcheong region. Ethnic Koreans concentrated in Incheon and Gyeonggi.
The Ministry of Justice compiled the 2025 regional migration status of foreign residents and ethnic Koreans in Korea and released the results on the 19th. When a foreign national residing in Korea moves and changes their place of stay, they must report to the city, county, or district office, township or neighborhood office, or an immigration office with jurisdiction over the new address within 14 days from the date of moving in.
A total of 376,971 foreigners (including ethnic Koreans) changed their place of stay within Korea over the past year, an average of 31,414 per month. By region, Gyeonggi saw more outflows than inflows (net outflow of 3,462), while Seoul (net inflow of 2,185) and South Gyeongsang (939) recorded more inflows than outflows.
Among foreign workers holding non-professional employment (E-9 visa), Gyeonggi recorded a net outflow of 2,736. Regions with net inflows included South Chungcheong (786) and North Chungcheong (735). Among foreign students (D-2 visa), South Chungcheong (756) and North Chungcheong (740) saw net outflows, while Seoul had a net inflow of 2,818.
Ethnic Koreans recorded a net outflow of 4,624 from Seoul. Regions with large net inflows were Incheon (3,025) and Gyeonggi (1,572). Among ethnic Koreans, those with Overseas Korean (F-4 visa) status and permanent residents (F-5 visa) showed larger net outflows from Seoul and significant net inflows into Incheon and Gyeonggi.
The Ministry of Justice plans to use the regional migration status of foreign residents and ethnic Koreans in various immigration policy areas, including region-specific and wide-area visas and a preannouncement system for visa quotas. Local governments and others are also expected to use it when formulating economic, employment, education, and dwellings policies. The plan is to have it designated as national approved statistics so it can be widely used by both the government and the private sector.
Minister Jung Sung-ho of the Ministry of Justice said, "We will identify the scale and directional characteristics of interregional movements among foreign residents in Korea and push forward data-based, scientific immigration and ethnic Korean policies."