Seoul: The number of foreigners residing in the Republic of Korea surpassed 2.8 million for the first time in October, driven by increases in long-term stays for work, study, and seasonal employment, Yonhap News Agency reported Saturday. According to Emirates News Agency, the immigration data from the justice ministry revealed that 2,837,525 foreign nationals were registered as staying in the country as of October, marking an increase of 3.6 percent from the previous month. The foreign resident population had previously reached a pre-pandemic peak of 2.524 million in 2019 before it fell sharply to 1.956 million in 2021 due to COVID-19. It then rebounded to 2.507 million in 2023 and climbed to 2.65 million in 2024. Chinese nationals made up the largest share by nationality, numbering 975,000, or 34.4 percent of the total. They were followed by citizens of Vietnam, the United States, and Thailand, who accounted for 12.5 percent, 6.9 percent, and 6 percent, respectively.