The number of high school students of immigrant origin in South Korea has increased 2.7 times over the past five years, exceeding 30,000 for the first time. According to Ministry of Education data, the number reached 33,622 as of April 2025.
This figure was 27,673 a year earlier. In 2020, the number of immigrant-origin high school students in the country was recorded as 12,478.
Significant Rise in Secondary Education
The definition of immigrant-origin students includes those who themselves or whose families are foreign nationals or have previously held foreign nationality. The increase at the high school level is seen as a sign that the multicultural student population in South Korea is progressing to higher levels of education.
In a country with approximately 1.3 million high school students in total, this group still represents a small share. However, the rapid rise in numbers in recent years is notable.
According to Ministry of Education data, the number of immigrant-origin high school students increased by 30.6% between 2023 and 2024. In 2025, the increase was 21.5% within a single year.
Shift from Primary to High School
The increase was not only seen at the high school level but was strongest there. The number of immigrant-origin students in primary education fell by 0.7% last year to 116,601. In middle school, the number rose by 6.8% to 51,172.
This pattern reveals that immigrant-origin students, who were previously concentrated mainly in primary schools, are now becoming more visible in middle and high schools. Experts attribute this partly to children of families who arrived earlier reaching adolescence, and partly to foreign families arriving in South Korea with school-age children.
Growing Need for Support and Integration
This shift in the student profile creates new needs for adapting to school life and overcoming language barriers. As high school students approach transitions to university, employment, or society, demand for integration programs is increasing.
According to Ministry of Education data, the dropout rate among immigrant-origin high school students exceeded 2% for the first time in the 2023 academic year, reaching 2.22%. The most common reason cited for dropping out was school maladjustment.
While the government is expanding academic support programs, especially Korean language education, it also faces calls to strengthen career and vocational guidance support for these students.
