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By Lee Hyo-sik
Staff Reporter
South Korea has become an increasingly multicultural society with currently more than 1 million foreigners ― from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds now residing here either to work or study.
Additionally, a growing number of women from China and Southeast Asian countries have come here over the past decade to marry Korean men and settle down for a better quality of life, constituting a large segment of the non-Korean community.
The number of migrant workers, English teachers, foreign women married to Koreans, and international students enrolled in local schools has increased at a much faster pace than previously expected over the past five years, forcing the government to revise predictions about the nation's population upward.
Coupled with a higher birthrate and lower death rate, the larger influx of foreign nationals into the country has pushed up the Korean population by 550,000 more than previously projected.
It was widely expected to begin shrinking in 2019, but with more foreigners coming into the country, the population decline will likely be delayed by as many as 10 years.
In 2006, Statistics Korea projected that the nation's population would reach 48.74 million in 2009, up 609,000 from 2005. But it increased by 1.1 million to 49.3 million during the five-year period, due largely to the arrival of more foreigners.
The statistical office had expected the net population movements in and out of the country to post an outflow of 197,000 from 2005 through 2008. But in reality, Korea recorded an influx of 100,000. With another 100,000 foreigners coming into the nation last year, Korea's population during the past five years increased by 400,000 more than previously anticipated.
"Korea is used to the population outflow for many years as many Koreans immigrated to the U.S. and other advanced countries to search for a better life.
"But from 2006, the nation has become a net population importer, with more foreigners coming to work or study here, in line with Korea's rapid economic development. Also, many Korean men have tied the knot with women from China and Southeast Asia," a statistical office official said.
In 2009, the number of foreigners married to Koreans and residing here was estimated to be about 167,000, while migrant workers totaled nearly 700,000 across the country.
On top of the growing foreign population, a higher-than-expected birthrate has made the government raise its population estimate. In 2006, the statistical office had forecast that the number of newborns would reach 2.22 million from 2005 through 2009. But the figure was about 2.29 million, about 70,000 more than the predicted government estimate.
Additionally, about 1.3 million Koreans were estimated to die during the five-year period. But in reality, only 1.22 million people died; 80,000 fewer than the previous projection, thanks to improved healthcare and nutrition.
With 550,000 more people living in the country than was expected, Korea's population will unlikely begin declining until 2019. The statistical office forecast in 2006 that the population would peak at 49.34 million in 2018 before decreasing.
But the figure now could exceed 50 million in mid-2020 on the back of a larger influx of foreigners, pushing back the year when the population will start shrinking by as much as 10 years.
한국, 외국인 대량 유입 직면
한국은 현재 다양한 종족과 문화적 배경을 가진 100만 명이 넘는 외국인들이 일을 하거나 공부하러 국내에 거주 급속하게 다문화 사회로 변해가고 있다
그 외에 지난 수 십 년 한국 남자와 결혼 하여 더 나은 삶을 찾아 정착하기 위해 중국과 동남아 국가들로부터 계속 많은 여성들이 들어와 비 한국인 사회의 큰 부분을 이루고 있다.
지난 5년 동안 이주 노동자들과 영어 강사들 한국 남성과 결혼한 외국인 여성과 이 곳 학교에 등록된 외국인 학생의 수가 예상했던 것 보다 빠른 속도로 늘어나, 정부로 하여금 전국 인구를 상향 조정하게 했다.
높은 출생률과 낮은 사망률로 외국이 유입이 더 많아 총 인구를 예상했던 것 보다 55만 명을 높여 놓았다.
