ID :
190615
Thu, 06/23/2011 - 10:38
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/190615
The shortlink copeid
Children of foreign residents in S. Korea top 150,000
(ATTN: UPDATES with quote by ministry official in 7th para; MODIFIES headline)
SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) -- Boosted by the rapid rise of children born between international couples in recent years, the number of children of foreign residents in South Korea surpassed 150,000, the home affairs ministry said Thursday.
The Ministry of Public Administration and Security said its census of South Korea's foreign population found that there were a total of 151,154 children born to Korean-foreigner couples and to foreigner parents as of Jan. 1.
The figure was up 23.9 percent from a year ago and 160 percent from three years ago, according to the ministry.
Children of foreign residents have been on a rapid increase: 25,246 in 2006, 44,258 in 2007, 58,007 in 2008, 107,689 in 2009 and 121,935 in 2010.
About 86.8 percent of the children were elementary students or younger.
By nationality, Chinese topped the list with 45 percent, followed by citizens of Southeast Asian countries with 36.4 percent.
"We will devise policies to expand educational and medical support for the children in consultation with related government offices," a ministry official said, requesting anonymity.
South Korea's population of long-term foreign residents was tallied at 1.27 million, which represents about 2.5 percent of the country's entire population, according to the ministry.
sshim@yna.co.kr
SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) -- Boosted by the rapid rise of children born between international couples in recent years, the number of children of foreign residents in South Korea surpassed 150,000, the home affairs ministry said Thursday.
The Ministry of Public Administration and Security said its census of South Korea's foreign population found that there were a total of 151,154 children born to Korean-foreigner couples and to foreigner parents as of Jan. 1.
The figure was up 23.9 percent from a year ago and 160 percent from three years ago, according to the ministry.
Children of foreign residents have been on a rapid increase: 25,246 in 2006, 44,258 in 2007, 58,007 in 2008, 107,689 in 2009 and 121,935 in 2010.
About 86.8 percent of the children were elementary students or younger.
By nationality, Chinese topped the list with 45 percent, followed by citizens of Southeast Asian countries with 36.4 percent.
"We will devise policies to expand educational and medical support for the children in consultation with related government offices," a ministry official said, requesting anonymity.
South Korea's population of long-term foreign residents was tallied at 1.27 million, which represents about 2.5 percent of the country's entire population, according to the ministry.
sshim@yna.co.kr
