The South Korean population has dropped over the past four years by 300- thousand as a result of emigration overseas, and more people are opting to sojourn overseas for a period of more than 90 days.

In its report on international population shifts, the National Statistical Office said that 20.8 million either left or entered the country last year, with some 870 thousand of those who left the country staying overseas for more than 90 days.

The number of long-term sojourners in the country was about 413 thousand while long-term South Korean sojourners in other parts of the world were more than 457 thousand. The size of the population reduction resulting from such shifts last year was 43 point nine thousand.

The data showed the total population reduction as a result of the international shift was 319,000 over the past four years.