No. of foreign overstayers increases

Published : Mar 27, 2017 - 15:02 Updated : Mar 27, 2017 - 15:02

The number of foreigners overstaying their visas in the country increased for the second straight month last month, the immigration office said Monday.

According to data from the office, the figure was tabulated at 214,615 as of February, accounting for 10.8 percent of the total number of 1,986,353 foreigners staying in the nation.

This file photo shows the arrival lounge of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, crowded with Chinese and other foreign tourists. (Yonhap)

The figure was an increase from 208,971 in December and 211,320 last month, the data said.

Meanwhile, the total number of foreigners staying in the country last month was down from 2,013,779 in January.

By nationality, China was at the top with 1,001,311 or 50.4 percent, followed by Vietnam (7.4 percent), the United States (7 percent), Thailand (4.8 percent) and the Philippines (2.7 percent), according to the data.

Foreign entrants numbered 1,284,241 last month, up 3.6 percent on-month.

Of them, Chinese visitors accounted for 614,158, up 5.6 percent from a month ago, the data said. (Yonhap)