The number of foreign nationals holding student visas in Korea has surged by about 50 percent in just a few years, with universities and immigration data demonstrating the rapidly expanding presence of international students. According to the latest relevant data released by the Ministry of Justice, the total number of people on D-2 (degree-seeking) and D-4 (language training) visas reached 305,807 as of Jan. 31, up from 260,989 a year earlier. Given that the figure stood at 205,167 in January 2023, the number of such visa holders has risen by roughly 50 percent — a trend that is reshaping campuses across the country. Vietnamese nationals account for the largest share, at 115,939 students or 37.9 percent, followed by 25.2 percent from China. They are followed by Uzbekistan with 6.6 percent, Mongolia with 6.2 percent, Nepal with 5.5 percent and Myanmar with 3.3 percent. Meanwhile, the number of students from countries such as the United States, Japan and various European states remains relatively small, though it is steadily growing. This trend is also observed in another measure that