South Korea's foreign residents face wage and education challenges

South Korea has seen a significant increase in the number of foreign residents. Last year, there were 1.56 million foreign nationals aged 15 and older living in the country. This is up by 130,000, or 9.1 percent, from the previous year. It is the largest rise since 2012. The data comes from a survey conducted in May 2024 by Statistics Korea, which included 20,000 foreign nationals. The survey focused on their employment, wages, and living conditions. Around 50 percent of these residents earned between 2 to 3 million won, which is between $1,374 and $2,061 per month. Another 37.1 percent made more than 3 million won monthly. In comparison, the average monthly income for South Korean workers was 3.33 million won as of November. The survey also highlighted challenges faced by foreign residents in educating their children. About 44 percent reported finding this issue burdensome, while 31.1 percent did not see it as a challenge.