South Korea reported a net inflow of migrants in 2022, data showed, following the normalization of global travel amid eased concerns over the COVID-19.

The number of international migrants, referring to those who stay in and out of South Korea for 90 days or more, reached 1.12 million in 2022, up 26.8 percent from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.

Of the figure, the arrivals accounted for 606,000, surpassing the number of individuals who departed the country, which reached 518,000, resulting in a net inflow of 88,000.

Arrivals from China accounted for 95,000, trailed by Vietnam with 52,000 and Thailand with 35,000, with the three countries taking up 43.9 percent of the total.

Among the total foreign arrivals, 33.4 percent were visiting South Korea to find jobs, followed by education with 21.5 percent. Those who moved to the country permanently, including marriages, took up 12.7 percent. (Yonhap)