By Kim Sue-youngStaff Reporter
The number of South Korean emigrants decreased by 44.4 percent last year from a year ago, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade reported Thursday.
Instead, more overseas Koreans returned to their home country than before, according to the 2009 Diplomatic White Paper published here.
Last year, a total of 2,293 South Koreans emigrated to foreign countries, down 44.4 percent from 4,127 in the previous year, the paper said.
It said that a total of 3,763 emigrants returned home, an increase of 320 from 3,443 in 2007.
Observers attributed the nose-diving exodus to the economic downturn which hit the world, including the United States, South Koreans' favorite country to emigrate to.
This tendency of decreasing emigration was also seen in 2007 as the number decreased by 20.3 percent from 2006.
The number of emigrants to the United States totaled 1,034 last year, down 53.5 percent from 2007. Emigration to Canada, New Zealand and Australia decreased by 45.9 percent, 60 percent and 16.7 percent, respectively.
According to the report, a total of 7.04 million South Koreans resided abroad as of May 2007.
The Asian-Oceanian region topped the list with 4.04 million or 57.35 percent, followed by North and South America (33.23 percent) and Europe (9.16 percent).
The seven-chapter report also contains details on the nation's visa waiver program with the United States and participation in the G-20 summit on financial markets and the world economy held early last month.
The report will be distributed to government agencies, diplomatic missions abroad, local universities and public libraries, ministry officials said.
It will be also posted on the ministry's Web site
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An English edition of the publication will be published by June, the officials said.
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