The number of South Korean nationals living overseas rose slightly last year from two years earlier, largely led by increases in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, a biennial report by the Foreign Ministry showed.

The figure stood at 7.49 million at the end of 2018, up 0.85 percent, or 62,899, from the 7.43 million tallied at the end of 2016, according to the report on Koreans living in 180 countries. That compares with a 3.42 percent gain in 2016 and a 2.45 percent increase in 2014.

Of the total, 3.28 million people resided in Northeast Asia, accounting for the largest portion, followed by North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. (Yonhap)