Koreans in Malaysia
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 14,580 (2009) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Kuala Lumpur
|
|
 Selangor
|
|
 Sabah
|
|
 Sarawak
|
|
| Languages | |
| Korean, English, Chinese, Malay | |
| Religion | |
| Mahayana Buddhism,Christianity and Islam minorities | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Korean diaspora | |
Koreans in Malaysia numbered 14,580 individuals as of 2009[update], nearly triple the total of 5,920 individuals in 2005, according to South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This made them the 20th-largest community of overseas Koreans, and the 5th-largest in Southeast Asia.
The history of Koreans in Malaysia goes back almost half a century; Malaysia and South Korea established diplomatic relations in 1960, and in the following decade, when Malaysia faced a shortage of doctors, a number of foreign doctors, including Koreans and Filipinos, were authorised to practise in Malaysia. Some construction workers, pilots, and sailors were also sent to the country.
The Korean community in Malaysia consist mostly of expatriates working in South Korean companies, as well as an increasing number of international students. The number of retirees coming under the Malaysia My Second Home immigration programme has also been increasing. Most Korean residents are concentrated in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, especially in Ampang, where a Koreatown is beginning to sprout. The popularity of Korean dramas in Malaysia has meant an increasingly friendly reception for Korean expatriates by local people. Real estate investment is another factor drawing Koreans to migrate to Malaysia, due to the taxes imposed on people who own more than two properties in Korea; Malaysia is the second most popular market for overseas real estate investment by Koreans, after the United States.
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