Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Korea’s international student population rises over 50% in 3 years
International students make tteokguk (rice cake soup) at Yeungnam University's student center in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, Jan. 5. Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
Data shows surge in D-2, D-4 visa holders as Vietnamese students lead influx
The number of foreign nationals holding student visas in Korea has surged by about 50 percent in just a few years, with universities and immigration data demonstrating the rapidly expanding presence of international students.
According to the latest relevant data released by the Ministry of Justice, the total number of people on D-2 (degree-seeking) and D-4 (language training) visas reached 305,807 as of Jan. 31, up from 260,989 a year earlier. Given that the figure stood at 194,590 in January 2023, the number of such visa holders has risen by more than 50 percent — a trend that is reshaping campuses across the country.
Vietnamese nationals account for the largest share, at 115,939 students or 37.9 percent, followed by 25.2 percent from China. They are followed by Uzbekistan with 6.6 percent, Mongolia with 6.2 percent, Nepal with 5.5 percent and Myanmar with 3.3 percent. Meanwhile, the number of students from countries such as the United States, Japan and various European states remains relatively small, though it is steadily growing.
This trend is also observed in another measure that keeps track of how many times D-2 visa holders cross the border over the course of a year. D-2 visa entries reached 411,687 in 2025, up from 348,096 in 2024 and 247,596 in 2023. These figures count students multiple times as they leave and reenter during vacations or when changing programs.
The data points to a broader thickening of Korea’s foreign population base. Alongside the growth in student visa holders, the number of workers on E-9 visas under the Employment Permit System reached a record-high 348,075 last month, compared with 336,252 in January 2025.
The growing presence of foreign students stands in stark contrast to Korea’s declining domestic school-age population. A recent education ministry report released last month projects that elementary schools nationwide will enroll just 298,178 first-grade students this March. That figure falls well below the 450,000 to 500,000 students universities and two-year colleges are designed to accommodate each year — a gap that has left many institutions already struggling to meet their enrollment quotas.
Meanwhile, long-term foreign residents on F-4 and F-5 visas have also risen in recent years, suggesting that more migrants are settling here rather than circulating in and out. Notably, the number of marriage immigrants and their family members has continued to increase, reaching 188,000 this January, with most coming from China, Vietnam and the Philippines, alongside growing numbers from countries such as Cambodia and Mongolia.