1,056 Russian Refugee Applications in Q1... Accounting for 26% of Total

Published 30 Apr.2023 08:50(KST)

Marriage Immigrants '170,000'

The number of refugee applications submitted by Russian nationals in the first quarter of this year has already surpassed the total for the entire year of last year, according to data compiled on the 30th.

According to the 'March 2023 Immigration and Foreigners Policy Statistics Monthly Report' recently released by the Ministry of Justice, the total number of refugee applications received by the Korean government from January to March this year was 4,057. Among these, applications from Russian nationals numbered 1,056, accounting for 26% of the total, making it the highest.

Compared to last year's refugee applications from Russians (1,038), the number of applicants in the first quarter of this year exceeds that of the entire last year. This phenomenon appears to be due to concerns over additional mobilization orders amid the prolonged Ukraine war.

Following were Kazakh nationals with 585 cases (14%), Chinese nationals with 240 cases (6%), Indian nationals with 200 cases (5%), and Turkish nationals with 173 cases (4%).

The number of marriage immigrants residing in Korea after marrying Koreans exceeded 170,000 for the first time since related statistics began to be compiled in 2006, reaching 171,751 as of March this year.

As of March this year, the total number of foreign students in Korea was 214,712, which is 22% higher than the 175,607 recorded in the same period last year.