Uzbekistan has secured a spot in the top five countries with the highest number of foreign students in South Korea, according to a recent report by Yonhap news agency. Over the past six months, more than 200,000 foreign citizens have entered South Korea for educational purposes, marking a record increase in international student arrivals.

From January to June 2024, a total of 204,000 foreign students and course participants visited South Korea, a significant increase of 50% compared to the same period last year. This number also surpasses the previous record set in the first half of 2019, which saw 184,500 foreign students. A majority of these students approximately 112,000 hail from China, making it the leading source of international students in South Korea. Vietnam follows in second place with 33,000 students and Japan is third with 6,900 students. Mongolia ranks fourth with 6,700 students, while Uzbekistan rounds out the top five with 5,000 students studying in South Korea.

Among Western countries, France leads with 3,500 students, followed by the United States with 3,100. Other countries in the top ten include Taiwan (2,500 students), Myanmar (2,200 students) and Germany (1,900 students). Additionally, 1,400 students arrived from Russia, and 1,022 from Kazakhstan.

Analysts attribute the growing influx of foreign students to South Korea’s cultural appeal, particularly the global popularity of K-pop and the increasing interest in learning the Korean language for potential employment opportunities in the country. This surge in interest is reflected in the South Korean government’s recent agreement with Uzbekistan to resume the recruitment of seasonal workers. The issuance of E8 visas, which had been suspended in 2021 due to violations of employment contracts and stay terms, has now been reinstated signaling a strengthening of ties between the two countries as shared by The Agency for External Labour Migration.