Seoul: South Korea's foreign population has reached a record high of 2.73 million, with one in three individuals being Chinese, as reported by Yonhap News on Sunday, citing government data.

According to Anadolu Agency, as of the end of June, the country had 1.56 million registered foreigners. Additionally, 552,419 Koreans held foreign citizenship. The figures, based on immigration data from the Ministry of Justice, also showed that 620,403 foreigners were in South Korea for short-term stays, such as tourism.

The foreign population in South Korea previously peaked at 2.52 million in 2019, but the numbers dropped sharply to 1.96 million in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The population rebounded to 2.51 million in 2023 and set a new high of 2.65 million by the end of that year.

Chinese nationals constitute the largest group of foreign residents, accounting for 35.6% or 972,176 individuals, followed by 341,153 Vietnamese. Americans numbered 196,664, Thais were 173,710, and Uzbeks accounted for 98,457 individuals.

A significant portion of the foreign population, more than half, resides in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan areas. The remaining individuals are spread across the central Chungcheong region and southern provinces. Nearly half of the foreign residents are aged between 20 and 39.

Approximately 20% of these residents hold F-4 visas for overseas Koreans, while around 12% possess E-9 visas for non-professional workers. Other common visa types include F-5 permanent residency, D-2 student, and B-2 tourist visas.