Since the 1960s many Koreans have emigrated, leaving Korea to live abroad. As of 2014 over 7 million Koreans live in other countries, primarily in China, the United States, Japan, and Russia. Initially Koreans mainly relocated to the US, but now they are choosing a variety of countries including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

  The number of foreign immigrants who live in Korea more than doubled from about 270,000 in 2006 to 700,000 in 2014. As the map at right shows, most of these immigrants live in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. They come mainly from China and the US. In addition to an increasing number of permanent residents from abroad, there has also been a sharp increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting Korea.