Seoul:First paragraph of the news story. According to Yonhap News Agency, the number of nonimmigrant visas issued by the United States to South Koreans decreased by nearly 8 percent in 2025. This decline followed the inauguration of President Donald Trump and was highlighted by data analyzed by the office of Rep. Hong Kee-won of South Korea's ruling Democratic Party.
The analysis showed that 68,130 visas were issued to South Koreans in 2025, a 7.95 percent decrease from the 74,015 issued in 2024 under former President Joe Biden's administration. The decline was evident across most visa categories, including the B-1 business visa and the B-2 tourism visa.
Following the unexpected detention of hundreds of South Korean workers in Georgia last September, there was a subsequent growth in visa numbers. In December, a visa support desk was established at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul to facilitate smoother entry procedures for Korean companies investing in the U.S.
The data indicated that average monthly issuances of B-1 and B-2 visas fell from 1,273 in 2024 to 1,212 in 2025, before rising to 2,027 in January and February of the following year. However, F-1 international student visa issuances experienced a significant drop from a monthly average of 1,195 in 2024 to 965 in 2025, and further to 273 in January and February 2026.
Rep. Hong noted that while the reduction in visa issuances is part of a global trend due to the Trump administration's anti-immigration policies, South Korea faced a smaller decrease compared to other major countries. He emphasized the need for efforts to normalize visa issuances by utilizing all available diplomatic channels with the U.S.