Busan's foreign student population reaches record high of 24,328
Summary
Busan's foreign student population reached a record 24,328 this year, up 30 percent from 2025, as the city expands support programs for study, work and settlement. Busan has worked with local universities since 2024 to reach 30,000 foreign students by 2028. The city opened the Study Busan Hub in February as a one-stop support center. Busan Mayor Chun Jae-soo said qualitative support is now as important as quantitative growth.
Key Facts
- The figure compares with 18,630 foreign students in Busan in 2025 and 14,961 in 2024.
- Busan and local universities have been working since 2024 toward a goal of attracting 30,000 foreign students by 2028.
- The Study Busan Hub opened in February and links students to services covering daily life, health care, finance, visas, Korean-language education and employment.
- Busan will hold a foreign student support performance-sharing event Tuesday at the National Pension Service’s Busan office in Yeonje-gu, with about 70 participants.
International students pose for a commemorative photo during a graduation farewell ceremony for international students for the 2025 academic year at Dong-A University's Bumin Campus in western Busan, Aug. 20. Yonhap
The foreign student population in Korea's second-largest city has climbed to a record 24,328 this year, a 30 percent increase from 2025, as Busan expands programs aimed at helping students study, work and settle in Korea.
The figure, released Aug. 27 in national basic education statistics, compares with 18,630 foreign students in the southern port city in 2025 and 14,961 in 2024, according to Busan Metropolitan City.
The city has worked with local universities since 2024 to attract 30,000 foreign students by 2028, while consolidating previously fragmented recruitment and support programs.
Busan opened the Study Busan Hub in February as a one-stop support center for foreign students, linking universities and government agencies to services covering daily life, health care, finance, visas, Korean-language education and employment.
The hub also works with Busan Immigration and Foreigners Office on group fingerprint registration for new foreign students and connects students with three designated hospitals — Daedong Hospital, Dong-Eui Medical Center and Good Gang-An Hospital.
The city also has expanded support for students seeking employment and residency through regional visa programs and has promoted Busan as a study destination through education fairs in Central Asia and campus tours for education officials from Almaty.
Busan will hold a foreign student support performance-sharing event Tuesday at the National Pension Service’s Busan office in Yeonje-gu, with about 70 university officials, scholarship recipients and other participants.
The event will include presentations on the city’s foreign student initiatives, an update on the My Busan online platform, employment and startup success cases and a scholarship ceremony for Global Busan Scholarship recipients.
“As we approach an era of 30,000 international students, qualitative management to support their academic stability and local settlement is just as crucial as quantitative expansion,” said Busan Mayor Chun Jae-soo. “We will meticulously review our support system across the entire spectrum — from academics and employment to long-term settlement — to ensure there are no gaps, allowing global talent to fully unlock their potential in Busan and grow alongside our region.”
The city said supporting students throughout their academic, employment and settlement journeys would be increasingly important as the city approaches 30,000 foreign students.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
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