The number of homes owned by foreigners in Korea was counted at about 108,000. This represents an 8% increase from a year earlier, the largest on record.

According to statistics on land and housing holdings by foreigners released by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 29th, as of December 2025, foreign-owned homes in Korea numbered 108,231, up 8.0% from a year earlier. They accounted for 0.55% of all homes nationwide.

By nationality, Chinese nationals accounted for more than half with 61,000 households (56.8%), followed by Americans with 23,000 (21.4%), Canadians with 6,500 (6.0%), Taiwanese with 3,400 (3.1%), and Australians with 2,000 (1.9%).

However, when compared with the number of long-term residents, the homeownership rate was United States (27.4%), Canada (24.3%), Australia (22.2%), Taiwan (17.8%), and China (7.5%), indicating that among foreign residents actually living in Korea, Americans had the highest rate of homeownership.

By region, Gyeonggi Province had the most at 42,386 households (39.2%), followed by Seoul with 24,541 (22.7%), Incheon with 11,279 (10.4%), South Chungcheong with 6,863 (6.3%), and Busan with 3,276 (3.0%).

By housing type, multi-unit housing such as apartments, row houses, and multiplex units accounted for the vast majority at 99,013 households, while detached houses numbered 9,218. In terms of the number of homes held, single-home owners overwhelmingly dominated at 99,648 owners (93.4%), with two homes at 5,651 (5.3%) and three or more at 1,387 (1.3%).

Since the government designated key areas in the Seoul metropolitan area as land transaction permit zones for foreigners in August last year to prevent real estate speculation by foreigners, foreign housing transactions in the metropolitan area have dropped sharply. From September last year through April this year, the volume of housing transactions by foreigners in Seoul fell 44% from a year earlier. In the three Gangnam districts (Gangnam, Seocho, and Songpa) and Yongsan District, the decline reached 58%.

By nationality, the number of housing transactions in Seoul by Americans fell 57%, and by Chinese 36%. In Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, foreign transaction volumes decreased by 23% and 30%, respectively.

As of the end of last year, preferred locations by nationality showed that Americans held many homes in Gangnam, Pyeongtaek, and Seocho; Canadians in Gangnam, Seocho, and Songpa; and Chinese in Bucheon, Ansan, and Siheung.