South Korea's migrant-background population reaches 2.81 million

South Korea's population with a migrant background has reached 2.81 million, accounting for 5.4% of the total population as of November 2024. According to data from the National Data Agency, this represents a 3.5% increase from the previous year.

The growth in the migrant-background population—which includes foreign nationals, naturalized citizens, second-generation immigrants, and North Korean defectors—has played a critical role in stabilizing the nation's total population. While the number of native-born citizens with two Korean parents decreased by over 82,000, the increase of approximately 95,000 migrant-background individuals prevented an overall population decline.

Demographically, the migrant-background population is significantly younger than the general public. Approximately 10% of South Koreans in their 20s and nearly 10% in their 30s have a migrant background. Furthermore, the working-age population (15–64) within this group stands at 81.9%, which is 12.7 percentage points higher than the national average. This demographic is increasingly filling roles in manufacturing and construction sectors.

Geographically, 56% of this population resides in the Seoul metropolitan area, though regional concentrations are notable. South Chungcheong Province has the highest ratio of migrant-background residents at 8.3%. At the local level, 21 municipalities now report that over 10% of their residents have a migrant background.