Growth and Migration to a Third Country: The Case of Korean Migrants in Latin America

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between growth and migration with the case of Korean migrants in the Latin American region. It first shows the trends of economic growth and Korean migrants in Latin American countries and then empirically tests if the growth rate affects the number of Koreans in eighteen countries in Latin America. The regression results confirm that countries with higher economic growth attract more Koreans, notably from other countries in the region that experience lower growth. This analysis provides an interesting perspective in understanding determinants of migration, where economic growth has not been considered as an important factor yet.