Foreign nationals owned nearly 100,000 homes in South Korea by the end of 2025, up about 30 percent in three years, with Chinese nationals remaining the largest group of owners and Vietnamese ownership more than doubling in the same period.
The number of foreign-owned homes reached 99,215 in the second half of 2025, compared with 76,147 in the second half of 2022, according to the latest data from the Korea Statistical Information Service.
As of 2025, Chinese nationals accounted for 59.5 percent of foreign-owned homes, followed by Americans at 19.6 percent and Canadians at 5.6 percent.
Over the three years, Vietnamese ownership climbed from 842 homes to 1,773 from 2022 to 2025 — an increase of 110.6 percent.
Tax figures submitted to Rep. Kim Mi-ae of the People Power Party also showed growth in the housing rental revenue reported by foreign nationals.
Reported rental revenue reached 84.2 billion won ($62 million) for the 2024 tax year, up 32 percent from 63.8 billion won in 2021. Data for the 2025 tax year were still being compiled, according to Kim’s office.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said on Sept. 23 that it had flagged 840 potentially unlawful property transactions involving foreign nationals nationwide in June and July for a targeted investigation running from September through December.
The probe covers residential and nonresidential properties as well as land. Investigators are scrutinizing the sources of purchase funds — including overseas financing — and suspected violations such as illicit transfers of funds into Korea and rental businesses operated by foreigners on visa-free entry.
yunapark@heraldcorp.com
