Koreans in the United Kingdom
| Total population | |
|---|---|
|
South Korean-born residents 17,394 (2011 Census) North Korean-born residents 392 (2011 Census) |
|
| Regions with significant populations | |
| London and the South East | |
| Languages | |
| English, Korean | |
| Religion | |
| majority Protestant Christian, minority Buddhist |
Koreans in the United Kingdom include Korean-born migrants to the United Kingdom and their British-born descendants tracing ancestries from North Korea and South Korea.
The 2011 UK Census recorded 16,276 residents of England born in South Korea, 310 in Wales, 716 in Scotland, and 92 in Northern Ireland. 369 people born in North Korea were recorded in England, 12 in Wales, and 11 in Scotland.
The previous, 2001 UK Census recorded 12,310 UK residents born in South Korea. The 2011 report of South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade showed 45,295 South Korean citizens or former citizens (regardless of birthplace) registered as living in the UK This means that Koreans in the United Kingdom are the 12th-largest group of overseas Koreans, behind Korean Brazilians and ahead of Koreans in Indonesia. According to the Overseas Korean Foundation, between 1999 and 2005, the UK's Korean population nearly quadrupled from 10,836, surpassing the older community of Koreans in Germany to become the largest in Europe. Among those recorded in MOFAT's statistics, 3,839 were British citizens, 9,170 had indefinite leave to remain, 19,000 were international students, and the other 14,820 had other kinds of visas. About two-thirds resided in the London area.
Most come from South Korea; however, North Korean defectors have also sought asylum in the UK. The number of North Koreans claiming asylum in the UK peaked at 412 in 2007, having risen from only 45 in 2006. Numbers then dropped to 185 in 2008, and ranged between 20 and 37 per annum between 2009 and 2014. According to UNHCR statistics, 622 recognised refugees and 59 asylum seekers from North Korea were present in the UK in 2014.
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