Seoul: The number of foreign students studying in South Korea has surpassed 310,000 for the first time, government data showed Saturday. This milestone marks a significant development in the country's educational landscape, reflecting an increasing attractiveness of South Korean institutions to international students.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korea Immigration Service, operated by the justice ministry, reported that as of February, the number of foreign students stood at 314,397. This marks the first time the figure has exceeded the 310,000 mark. The breakdown of these students includes 238,905 enrolled in universities and other higher education institutions, 75,033 as Korean language trainees, and 459 as other language trainees.

The number of foreign students has approximately doubled over the past five years, rising from 153,361 at the end of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to over 300,000 for the first time in August of the previous year. As of February, the total number of foreign nationals staying in South Korea reached 2.71 million, a 4.4 percent increase from the previous year. In contrast, the number of foreign students increased at a faster pace of 15 percent over the same period.

A notable increase was seen in the number of students entering the country for university studies, which rose 22.2 percent on-year to 238,905 from 195,450. By nationality, Vietnamese students formed the largest group with 115,131 individuals, followed by Chinese students at 78,529, Uzbek students at 20,609, and Mongolian students at 18,992.

The growing number of foreign students highlights South Korea's emerging role as a significant hub for higher education in the region.