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The number of foreign residents in South Korea reached a record high of 2.66 million in 2025, up 3.1% from the previous year, marking the fourth consecutive year of growth, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety released on October 28. The total, 2,662,967 people, accounts for 5.1% of Korea's population, with international students surging to over 274,000, an increase of 41,000 from the prior year. The definition includes foreign nationals staying over 90 days, naturalized citizens, and children of foreign residents. Korean media, including Yonhap and KBS World, report this as a historic high, driven largely by the sharp rise in international students.