China View : Why Yanbian Koreans Leaving for South Korea?
VCG
Jilin, located in the northeastern part of China, has the largest Korean community nationwide. The province shares a border with North Korea. Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture is the only autonomous region in China mainly populated by Koreans, marking its significance.
The History Of This Korean Ethnic City in China.
Yanbian has a rich historical background that is significant to East Asian history. In the early 20th century, Korean farmers began migrating to Yanbian and other northeastern regions of China due to factors such as land deprivation, resistance to colonial rule, and famine caused by the Japanese occupation of the Korean Peninsula. After the March First Movement in 1919, this migration reached its peak, and Yanbian became a popular place for Korean immigrants to settle.
Historically, Yanbian played a crucial role in the events of East Asian history. In the early 20th century, Korean farmers migrated to Yanbian and other northeastern areas of China due to factors such as land deprivation, opposition to colonial rule, and famine during the Japanese occupation of the Korean Peninsula. This wave of migration reached its peak after the March First Movement in 1919, and Yanbian gradually became a settlement area for Korean settlers, with the population surging from nearly 10,000 in 1909 to about 380,000 in 1930. Furthermore, Korean people in Yanbian fought back against Japanese colonial rule by joining anti-Japanese armed groups led by people like Kim Il-sung, protesting, making underground publications, and forming communities to fight the colonial government. Therefore, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture serves as a significant representation of the historical developments in Northeast Asia. The way people understand their nationality and ethnicity demonstrates the identity of the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, especially as the recent drop in the Korean ethnic community raises worries about economic problems in China's border management and how it affects local lives.
The reason for the population decrease in Jilin isn’t only the birth rate but also the economic issue. Limited job opportunities and lower salaries compared to coastal regions have accelerated outward migration, particularly among younger and working-age populations. According to the "2026 Jilin Province Government Work Report," the goal is to maintain the surveyed unemployment rate at approximately 5.5%. Jilin has a lower salary compared to the province of Shandong. In 2025, Shendong Province's disposable income is 1.08 times higher than that of Jilin’s urban residents, reflecting a persistent income gap.
In 2025, the Jilin Provincial Bureau of Statistics released the "2024 Statistical Bulletin of National Economic and Social Development of Jilin Province," which indicated that the natural population decrease in Jilin Province was 113,000, and the net outflow of population between provinces was 108,000. Two years prior, in 2023, the province was unable to maintain the net inflow of population from other provinces. The following year, Yanbian suffered a continued decline, with a negative natural growth rate of -3.82%, indicating the low birth rate and emigration. The Korean population in Yanbian has stabilized at 69,000, with almost 65,000 residents aged over 60, underscoring the gravity of the aging issue and the migration of the younger generation away from the Yanbian Autonomous Prefecture.
This population decline is especially clear in Jilin Province, where the makeup of the population is changing quickly, raising worries about the economy and the ability to care for older people, since a smaller workforce may find it difficult to provide enough support and resources for the growing number of elderly residents, which could lead to more people relying on social services. Between 2021 and 2024, the working-age population under 60 decreased by over a million, while the youth population under 15 also significantly declined. These trends not only indicate a decrease in the labor force but also suggest a weakening of the population base for future growth. This decline is not merely a temporary fluctuation but rather a profound structural contraction influenced by immigration patterns, low birth rates, and the scarcity of economic prospects in the area.
Yanbian Korean shares the same culture and language with North and South Korea. The Yanbian Korean people originated from the Korean Peninsula, migrating due to famine and war from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. As of March 2026, the minimum salary in China is 47% lower than in South Korea in USD. Under these circumstances, Yanbian Koreans who have the language and culture advantages tend to migrate to South Korea to seek job opportunities. The South Korean government has implemented multiple visas for Korean Chinese, such as the H-2 visa, which allows priority employment for specific job opportunities, and the F-4 visa, which permits free travel for those of Korean descent. The H-2 visa is specifically designed for foreign workers in certain industries, while the F-4 visa is for individuals of Korean heritage living abroad. The H-2 visa is specifically designed for foreign workers in certain industries, while the F-4 visa is for individuals of Korean heritage living abroad. According to the South Korean government's immigration statistics, the Chinese population is the largest immigrant group, comprising 89,000 individuals, and Korean Chinese make up more than 50% of this population.
Conclusion
Yanbian Koreans immigrate and work in South Korea, reflecting the exchange of the same ethnic group over the half century. The population decline in Jilin, especially the Yanbian Autonomous Prefecture, symbolizes the basic social and economic problem in China, which includes issues such as aging demographics, rural depopulation, and economic stagnation that affect the region's development and sustainability.
