Vietnamese second largest group in South Korea's foreign workforce

Workers check the examination room list for the Korean Language Proficiency Test in Hanoi in 2016. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

According to The Korea Herald, data compiled by Statistics Korea showed that 11.3% of the foreign workforce in South Korea is comprised of Vietnamese nationals, trailing behind the 35.3% represented by Koreans with Chinese nationality.

The total foreign workforce in South Korea this year has reached a record of nearly 1 million, marking a 10% year-on-year increase in the number of foreign nationals working in the country.

The majority of these workers are employed by smaller companies, with 78.8% working in firms with less than 50 employees. In contrast, only 3% are in companies with over 300 employees, a decrease from 3.4% in 2012, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.

Income levels for foreign workers have improved this year, with 35.8% earning more than 3 million won (US$2,314) per month, up from 30.1% last year, as per a Statistics Korea official. Another 50.6% earned between 2-3 million won a month in 2023.

For comparison, the average monthly salary for a Korean national was 3.4 million won as of June this year, according to the Labor Ministry.

The report also indicates an increase in public acceptance of foreign workers in South Korea, referencing a survey about Korean nationals' attitudes towards working with people from other nationalities.