Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in South Korea

South Korea: Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled was 4,241 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
4,241 people
Change on year
up 4.6%
World rank
109th
of 183 countries
All-time high
4,241 people
in 2024
All-time low
5 people
in 1995
Years of data
43
1978–2024

Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in South Korea, 1978–2024

01.0k2.0k3.0k4.0k1978200120241978: 70 people1979: 170 people1980: 115 people1981: 60 people1982: 70 people1987: 60 people1988: 120 people1989: 230 people1990: 230 people1991: 162 people1992: 149 people1993: 101 people1994: 53 people1995: 5 people1996: 5 people1997: 5 people1998: 5 people1999: 5 people2000: 5 people2001: 5 people2002: 15 people2003: 20 people2004: 37 people2005: 61 people2006: 90 people2007: 108 people2008: 162 people2009: 253 people2010: 352 people2011: 389 people2012: 488 people2013: 548 people2014: 1.2k people2015: 1.5k people2016: 1.8k people2017: 2.2k people2018: 2.9k people2019: 3.2k people2020: 3.4k people2021: 3.6k people2022: 3.8k people2023: 4.1k people2024: 4.2k people

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in South Korea is 4,241 people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 43 years on record.

The figure is up 4.6% on the previous year and up 264.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in South Korea peaked at 4,241 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5 people, in 1995.

South Korea ranks 109th of 183 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in South Korea, year by year

Annual values for Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in South Korea, 1978 to 2024.
Year people Change
1978 70 people —
1979 170 people +142.9%
1980 115 people -32.4%
1981 60 people -47.8%
1982 70 people +16.7%
1987 60 people -14.3%
1988 120 people +100.0%
1989 230 people +91.7%
1990 230 people +0.0%
1991 162 people -29.6%
1992 149 people -8.0%
1993 101 people -32.2%
1994 53 people -47.5%
1995 5 people -90.6%
1996 5 people +0.0%
1997 5 people +0.0%
1998 5 people +0.0%
1999 5 people +0.0%
2000 5 people +0.0%
2001 5 people +0.0%
2002 15 people +200.0%
2003 20 people +33.3%
2004 37 people +85.0%
2005 61 people +64.9%
2006 90 people +47.5%
2007 108 people +20.0%
2008 162 people +50.0%
2009 253 people +56.2%
2010 352 people +39.1%
2011 389 people +10.5%
2012 488 people +25.4%
2013 548 people +12.3%
2014 1,164 people +112.4%
2015 1,455 people +25.0%
2016 1,798 people +23.6%
2017 2,238 people +24.5%
2018 2,890 people +29.1%
2019 3,196 people +10.6%
2020 3,443 people +7.7%
2021 3,559 people +3.4%
2022 3,825 people +7.5%
2023 4,053 people +6.0%
2024 4,241 people +4.6%

South Korea compared with similar countries

  • South Korea's 4,241 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 10,077 people, 42% of the median. (67 countries reporting)
  • South Korea's 4,241 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 51.5 people, 82.3× the median. (24 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2002 +200.0% 5 people 15 people

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 120 people 70 people 170 people 2
1980s 109.17 people 60 people 230 people 6
1990s 72 people 5 people 230 people 10
2000s 75.6 people 5 people 253 people 10
2010s 1,452 people 352 people 3,196 people 10
2020s 3,824 people 3,443 people 4,241 people 5

Countries ranked near South Korea

  1. 106 Mozambique 5,370 people compare
  2. 107 Namibia 5,258 people compare
  3. 108 Argentina 4,409 people compare
  4. 110 Gambia 3,964 people compare
  5. 111 Turkmenistan 3,409 people compare
  6. 112 Trinidad and Tobago 3,328 people compare

See the full ranking of 183 places →

More reference data data for South Korea

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in South Korea?
Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in South Korea was 4,241 people in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled recorded in South Korea?
The highest recorded value was 4,241 people in 2024.
What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled recorded in South Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 5 people in 1995.
How does South Korea rank for refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled?
South Korea ranks 109th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
Is refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled rising or falling in South Korea?
Over the last ten years it is up 264.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Korea data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in South Korea. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 07 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/refugees-by-country-of-asylum-gaps-filled/korea-rep/

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How this figure is calculated

Refugees by country of asylum with 169 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled
Unit
people
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
183 places, 7,634 data points, 1951–2024
Last refreshed

Refugees by country of asylum with 169 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.