Foreign students arrivals in South Korea reach a record high

South Korea has set a new half-year record for international student arrivals, with 204,000 students coming to the country for studies in the first half of 2024, marking a 50.6% increase compared to the same period in 2023. This is the first time the country has surpassed 200,000 students in a six-month period, although the total number of international students at South Korean universities has been above this figure since last year.

The majority of incoming students, about 150,000, were between the ages of 21 and 30, while 31,694 were under 20 years old. Additionally, 18,903 students were between 31 and 40 years old, and 3,635 were aged 41 to 50. By nationality, China remains the largest contributor, accounting for 55.2% of the total with 112,000 students, followed by Vietnam (33,000 students) and Japan (6,900 students).

This surge in international student numbers aligns with South Korea’s “300K project”, which aims to increase the number of foreign students at domestic universities to 300,000 by 2027, up from around 170,000 in 2022. As of June 2024, the total number of international students reached 236,000, a 29,000 increase from the previous year.

To make South Korea more attractive to international students, the government is focusing on academic opportunities and career development. Universities, especially in regions facing population decline, are offering relevant degree courses, Korean language programs, and organizing job fairs tailored for foreign students. Additionally, government agencies such as the Ministry of SMEs and Start-ups and the Ministry of Justice are working to help international students find employment, aiming to both address local labor shortages and revitalize regional economies.