Russian economy meltdown sees desperate migrants abandon Putin for shock country

The collapse of Russia’s economy is sparking a surge of migrants heading elsewhere (Image: Getty)

The collapse of Russia’s economy is sparking a surge of migrants heading to South Korea, abandoning Vladimir Putin’s failing regime in search of a better life. Amid a combination of crippling Western sanctions, falling energy revenues, skyrocketing inflation and a plunging ruble, businesses are struggling to operate.

As a result, many Russians are now seeing emigration as the only viable option. A recent survey of migrants in Korea shows that certain regions of the country are particularly welcoming to newcomers. Urban centres like the capital Seoul and Busan on the southeast coast offer higher wages, stronger social services and an environment that feels far more stable than Russia's. In Yeongam County, in the southwest, foreign nationals now make up more than one in five residents (21.1%) - the highest proportion in the country.

On Jeju Island, less than half of respondents agreed that immigrants are part of society (Image: Getty)

According to a report by the Ministry of Justice’s Migration Research and Training Centre, Yeongam had the highest acceptance rate in the country when residents were asked whether they viewed immigrants as members of Korean society. The figure stood at more than three-quarters (77%). However, the picture was not the same everywhere.

On Jeju Island, less than half of the respondents (40.9%) agreed that immigrants should be viewed as part of society. Jeju also had the highest percentage of respondents (11.6%) who said they “strongly disagreed” with the idea that immigrants should be accepted as members of Korean society. This comes at a time when, on Jeju, despite its push to minimise regulatory barriers for businesses and promote tourism through its visa-free entry policy, which allows foreign visitors to stay for up to 30 days, the island has also seen a surge in undocumented migrants.

Russia is facing crippling Western sanctions, falling energy revenues and skyrocketing inflation (Image: Getty)

“Foreign nationals now account for 5.3% of Korea’s population, and their numbers are growing, fueled in part by the global popularity of Korean culture,” said Yoo Min-yi, a researcher at the Migration Research and Training Centre. “We’ve entered the era of immigration, and it’s time to view immigrants not just as a labour force but as people - that is, as members of society.
 
“Since public acceptance of immigrants varies significantly depending on whether immigration is seen as safe and orderly, there is a need to improve the visa system and broader immigration integration policies,” they added.