Total population | |
---|---|
10,000–40,000 (2023) | |
Languages | |
Russian, Korean, Ukrainian | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Korean diaspora |
There are populations of ethnic Koreans and South Korean nationals in Ukraine. A significant group among them are ethnic Koreans called Koryo-saram: these people arrived in the former Soviet Union before and during the Japanese colonial period and spread throughout the region especially after their forced migration in 1937. Another group, the Sakhalin Koreans, who lived on the island of Sakhalin and are often considered culturally distinct from other Koryo-saram.[1] There are also South Korean expatriates in Ukraine.
It is uncertain how many ethnic Koreans are in Ukraine; estimates vary from 10,000 to over 40,000.[1] A 2021 South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) report gave the number as 13,524.[2] However, another page on the MOFA website in 2023 gave a rough estimate of around 30,000 Koryo-saram in Ukraine.[3] In 2020, there were reportedly 612 South Korean nationals living in Ukraine.[3]