Last year, 135 foreigners were recognized as refugees and obtained eligibility to stay in Korea. The countries of origin of asylum seekers differed from the countries where large numbers of refugees are generated worldwide.
The Ministry of Justice announced the "2025 refugee system operation status" on the 12th. The number of asylum applications last year was 14,626, down about 20% from 2024 (18,335).
The nationalities of asylum seekers were Russia (14.8%), Kazakhstan (10.5%), China (8.6%), India (6.8%), and Pakistan (6.5%). According to the U.N. refugee agency, countries that generated the most refugees worldwide included Venezuela, Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and South Sudan.
An official at the Ministry of Justice said, "The countries of origin of those applying for refugee recognition in Korea differ from the major refugee-generating countries worldwide."
The number of people recognized as refugees last year was 135, up 29% from 2024 (105). The number of people granted humanitarian stay was 41, down 58% from 2024 (97). This is due to the recent decline in asylum applications from people from Haiti, Syria, and Yemen.
Humanitarian stay is a system under which the Minister of the Ministry of Justice grants permission to stay in Korea to foreigners who do not meet the criteria for refugee recognition but cannot return due to inhumane treatment such as torture or threats to life. They must undergo renewal review every year, and unlike refugees, their livelihood support is limited.
As of last year, the cumulative number of people recognized as refugees was 1,679, and the refugee recognition rate was 2.7%. Nationals from countries with a high need for protection, such as Myanmar (57.1%), Burundi (45.2%), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (28.2%), showed relatively high refugee recognition rates.
The number of people granted humanitarian stay due to deteriorating conditions in their home countries, including civil war, was 2,727 as of last year. The refugee protection rate, combining those recognized as refugees and those granted humanitarian stay, is about 7%.