International migrants nosedive amid pandemic

By Anna J. Park

The number of people entering and leaving Korea fell last year by the largest rate on record as the COVID-19 pandemic caused global air traffic to grind to a virtual halt, while governments tightened screening of international travelers.

According Statistics Korea, Thursday, 1.23 million people arrived in Korea last year, down by 15.9 percent compared to 2019. It was also the sharpest fall seen since 2000.

Last year, 233,000 foreign nationals entered Korea, down 46.8 percent compared to 2019. While fewer foreigners arrived in Korea, the number of Korean nationals who returned to their home country last year reached the highest level on record, due to international students and Koreans living abroad returning from overseas as the pandemic spread.

A closer look at the numbers shows that people who visited Korea for short-term stays longer than 90 days in 2020 plummeted 61.6 percent year-on-year, while those who arrived here for employment dropped 54.3 percent. The number of foreign nationals who entered Korea to attend school last year also fell by 31.6 percent compared to 2019.

By nationality, Americans topped the list of net arrivals of foreigners in Korea in 2020, while Chinese ranked No.1 when it came to net departures. While most Americans who entered Korea intended to stay here briefly, the bulk of Chinese visitors arrived here to work.

Specifically, 56.1 percent of Americans who entered Korea last year came for short-term stays, while 22.6 percent were Korean Americans and 12 percent came to work. Also, 27.6 percent of Chinese entrants came to Korea for employment, while 20.9 percent arrived here to study.

Meanwhile, 49.1 percent of Vietnamese nationals who entered Korea last year came here either for marriage or immigration, while 29.8 percent came to study and 14.5 percent were visiting the country briefly.

Most Thai nationals who entered Korea ― 78.7 percent ― came here for short-term stays, while 10.2 percent came here to work.

International migrants nosedive amid pandemic
Source: Buhay Kapa PH