Cross-border movement of persons in South Korea hits 18-year low in 2021

Seoul [South Korea], July 14 (ANI/Xinhua): The cross-border movement of persons in South Korea hit the lowest in 18 years in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, statistical office data showed Thursday.
The combined number of South Koreans and foreigners who moved into and out of the Asian country for a time of over 90 days was 887,000 in 2021, down 28.1 per cent from the prior year, according to Statistics Korea.
The figure was the lowest in the years since 2003, marking the sharpest fall since data began to be compiled in 2000. The data was based on people staying in South Korea or abroad for at least 90 days to exclude short-term visitors.
The COVID-19 pandemic discouraged people from moving abroad or staying here, the office said.
The number of entrants to South Korea tumbled 39.0 per cent last year, and that of the people moving abroad fell 15.0 per cent.
The number of South Koreans entering their home country plunged 56.9 per cent to 190,000 in 2021, recording the fastest yearly reduction.
The number of South Koreans going abroad rose 7.2 per cent to 213,000 last year.
The number of foreign entrants to South Korea shrank 5.4 per cent to 221,000, while the figure for foreigners moving abroad dwindled 27.2 per cent to 263,000. (ANI/Xinhua)