Preparing for the 3 million foreign resident era (KOR) Related Article

As the foreign population surges, Korea must overhaul immigration policy, funding and integration systems to turn demographic change into growth instead of conflict.





Jeon Yong-il

The author is a professor of Economics, Sungkyunkwan University

The number of foreign nationals residing in Korea reached 2.91 million as of July and is expected to surpass 3 million by the end of this year. Of the nation's 227 municipalities, 142 now have immigrant populations exceeding 5 percent. About 1.1 million foreign nationals work in small- and medium-sized enterprises, agriculture, fisheries and livestock farming — sectors many Koreans avoid. Meanwhile, students from immigrant backgrounds now exceed 200,000.

Although immigrants have become vital to easing labor shortages in an aging society, public perception remains slow to change. The Migration Research and Training Center's Immigrant Social Integration Index shows that while many Koreans acknowledge immigrants' economic contributions, they remain hesitant to accept them as full members of society. This gap between a growing foreign population and limited public acceptance raises a crucial question: Is Korean society truly prepared for an era of 3 million foreign residents?

Without careful preparation, marginalization and social conflict could become unavoidable. Korea should closely examine the experiences of Western nations that struggled with isolation and social tensions due to insufficient institutional safeguards during early migration waves. If Korea misses its window to strengthen social integration, it risks repeating the same mistakes.

The first priority must be reforming the governance structure overseeing immigration. While the Ministry of Justice's Korea Immigration Service has fulfilled its role thus far, expanding immigration scope has led to conflicting roles across multiple agencies. To respond effectively, Korea must strengthen overarching policy coordination and grant the agency true central coordinating authority.

In her 15-volume historical narrative series about the Roman civilization, author Nanami Shiono attributed Rome's longevity to its openness and inclusiveness. Crucially, this was not a policy of unconditional acceptance, but a system that integrated newcomers into Rome's established order and structure. How, then, can we expand such openness and inclusiveness? Simply asking the public to embrace the virtues of humanitarianism or universal brotherhood is not enough. People must first come to recognize that immigrants are not free riders but members of society who make positive contributions.

Korea should significantly expand Korean-language education to reduce misunderstandings and conflicts caused by communication barriers. That will naturally require funding. Yet asking taxpayers to shoulder additional costs solely for immigrants is not a realistic solution. A different approach is needed. Relying exclusively on the general budget means immigration programs are often pushed to the bottom of funding priorities because of their specialized nature. Instead, Korea should establish a dedicated funding mechanism using revenues already paid by foreign nationals, such as visa and nationality application fees. Legislation to create such a system has already been proposed in the National Assembly.

Social integration cannot be achieved through language education alone. It also requires stable funding, consistent policies and a national immigration strategy. Immigration should no longer be viewed merely as an extension of welfare or labor policy but as part of the country's long-term growth strategy. Many major economies already use immigration as a national strategy to attract skilled talent and revitalize regional economies. If Korea hopes to recruit entrepreneurs and other essential workers needed by industry, it must first comprehensively overhaul its fragmented visa system to better reflect public sentiment and policy goals. It should also establish an integrate...