Int'l migrant numbers rebound in 2016 on rise in visitors

SEJONG, July 6 (Yonhap) -- The number of South Korean overseas travelers and foreign visitors reached record highs last year thanks to a rise in more people entering the country, a government report showed Thursday.

The number of international migrants, referring to those who stay in and out of South Korea for 90 days or more, stood at a record 1.35 million people in 2016, up 3.6 percent, or 47,000, from a year earlier, according to the report compiled by Statistics Korea. The number involves both foreigners and South Korean nationals and excludes short-term visitors.

The 2016 figure reflects a turnaround from a 1.7 percent dip in 2015, when it posted the first negative growth in six years.

A total of 639,000 people left the country last year, up 2.6 percent from a year ago, while the number of entrants also increased 4.4 percent to 714,000 from a year earlier.

The number of South Korean-passport holders who returned home edged up 0.3 percent on-year in 2016.

Foreigners who came to South Korea to live or stay on extended business rose 7.8 percent on-year in 2016, a rebound from a 8 percent decline tallied in 2015. The number of aliens who left the country rose 8 percent over the same period.

brk@yna.co.kr
(END)