Where Is Korean Spoken?305

Korean is spoken primarily in the Korean peninsula, which is divided into two countries: South Korea and North Korea. The Korean language is also spoken by significant communities in other parts of the world, including:
China
Japan
Russia
The United States
Canada
Australia
New Zealand
South America
Southeast Asia

The total number of Korean speakers worldwide is estimated to be around 77 million. Of these, approximately 51 million live in South Korea and 25 million live in North Korea.

South Korea

South Korea is the most populous country where Korean is spoken. The vast majority of the population (over 99%) speaks Korean as their native language. There are also small communities of other languages spoken in South Korea, including English, Chinese, and Japanese.

North Korea

North Korea is the second most populous country where Korean is spoken. The vast majority of the population (over 99%) speaks Korean as their native language. There are also small communities of other languages spoken in North Korea, including Chinese and Russian.

China

There are two main groups of Korean speakers in China: the Joseonjok and the Goryeojok. The Joseonjok are descendants of Koreans who migrated to China during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). The Goryeojok are descendants of Koreans who migrated to China during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). Today, there are approximately 2.3 million Korean speakers in China, most of whom live in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Jilin Province.

Japan

There are approximately 600,000 Korean speakers in Japan, most of whom are descendants of Koreans who were brought to Japan during the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945). Today, Korean is the third most spoken language in Japan, after Japanese and English.

Russia

There are approximately 180,000 Korean speakers in Russia, most of whom live in the Russian Far East. The majority of Korean speakers in Russia are descendants of Koreans who were forcibly deported to the Soviet Union during the Stalin era.

United States

There are approximately 2 million Korean speakers in the United States, most of whom live in California, New York, and New Jersey. The majority of Korean speakers in the United States are immigrants or descendants of immigrants who arrived in the United States after the Korean War (1950-1953).

Canada

There are approximately 1 million Korean speakers in Canada, most of whom live in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. The majority of Korean speakers in Canada are immigrants or descendants of immigrants who arrived in Canada after the Korean War (1950-1953).

Australia

There are approximately 150,000 Korean speakers in Australia, most of whom live in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. The majority of Korean speakers in Australia are immigrants or descendants of immigrants who arrived in Australia after the Korean War (1950-1953).

New Zealand

There are approximately 30,000 Korean speakers in New Zealand, most of whom live in Auckland. The majority of Korean speakers in New Zealand are immigrants or descendants of immigrants who arrived in New Zealand after the Korean War (1950-1953).

South America

There are approximately 100,000 Korean speakers in South America, most of whom live in Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. The majority of Korean speakers in South America are immigrants or descendants of immigrants who arrived in South America after the Korean War (1950-1953).

Southeast Asia

There are approximately 50,000 Korean speakers in Southeast Asia, most of whom live in Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The majority of Korean speakers in Southeast Asia are immigrants or descendants of immigrants who arrived in Southeast Asia after the Korean War (1950-1953).

2025-02-03

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