Busan's International Student Population Surpasses 24,000, Reaching an All-Time High

[Financial News] The number of international students in Busan has increased by more than 5,000 in a year, surpassing 24,000 this year. It is the highest figure on record. In response, Busan Metropolitan City has set a goal of attracting 30,000 international students by 2028.
The city said on the 22nd that the number of international students in Busan reached 24,328 this year, up about 30% from 18,630 last year and the highest figure ever recorded.
The city attributed the increase to its efforts to integrate student recruitment and support programs previously run separately by individual universities. In cooperation with regional universities and relevant agencies, it has also targeted strategic countries for each university, diversified the countries from which it recruits students, and expanded recruitment linked to employment visas.
In February, the city opened the Study Busan Hub in connection with the Regional Growth Talent Development System (ANCHOR) project, establishing a one-stop support system covering the entire period of students' lives in Busan.
Through the hub, the city operates group fingerprint-registration services for new international students in cooperation with the Busan Immigration and Foreigners Office, customized financial and visa consultations, support linked to designated hospitals for international students, Korean-language education, and Korean-culture mentoring. These services provide integrated assistance from admission through employment and settlement.
The city is also strengthening Busan's branding as a study destination through global exchanges, including study-abroad information sessions on Busan in Central Asia and campus tours for education officials invited from Almaty.
To share these achievements, the city will host a results-sharing session for its integrated international student support program this afternoon at the Busan office of the National Pension Service (NPS) in Yeonje-gu, inviting about 70 people, including international scholarship students.
Mayor of Busan Jeon Jae-soo said, "As we approach the era of 30,000 international students, ensuring the quality of their experience—including stable academic work and settlement in the local community—is as important as increasing their numbers. I will closely monitor the entire support system, from academic studies and employment to settlement, so that global talent can fully develop their abilities in Busan and grow together with the local community."
[email protected] Kwon Byeong-seok Reporter