South Korea Population (LIVE)

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South Korea Population (1950 - 2024)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of the Republic of Korea is 51,753,945 as of Monday, March 18, 2024, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data 1.
  • South Korea 2023 population is estimated at 51,784,059 people at mid year.
  • South Korea population is equivalent to 0.64% of the total world population.
  • South Korea ranks number 29 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in South Korea is 533 per Km2 (1,379 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 97,230 Km2 (37,541 sq. miles)
  • 81.7 % of the population is urban (42,323,569 people in 2023)
  • The median age in South Korea is 44.5 years.
1. Updated on July 16, 2023 with the latest July 2023-July 2024 estimates from the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of South Korea (2024 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationSouth Korea
Global Rank
2024 51,741,963 -0.08 % -42,096 29,998 45.1 0.89 532 82.1 % 42,454,846 0.64 % 8,118,835,999 29
2023 51,784,059 -0.06 % -31,751 29,998 44.5 0.88 533 81.7 % 42,323,569 0.64 % 8,045,311,447 29
2022 51,815,810 -0.03 % -14,329 29,998 43.9 0.87 533 81.4 % 42,193,408 0.65 % 7,975,105,156 29
2020 51,844,690 0.08 % 40,861 0 42.8 0.89 533 80.9 % 41,934,110 0.66 % 7,840,952,880 28
2015 50,994,401 0.88 % 436,272 266,322 39.9 1.20 524 81.0 % 41,301,851 0.69 % 7,426,597,537 27
2010 48,813,042 0.38 % 184,694 56,092 36.6 1.22 502 83.2 % 40,601,614 0.70 % 6,985,603,105 26
2005 47,889,573 0.47 % 220,196 -36,504 33.6 1.10 493 82.7 % 39,622,010 0.73 % 6,558,176,119 25
2000 46,788,591 0.61 % 279,035-72,624 30.7 1.42 481 80.6 % 37,729,427 0.76 % 6,148,898,975 26
1995 45,393,418 0.57 % 254,676 -230,292 28.3 1.63 467 78.1 % 35,441,319 0.79 % 5,743,219,454 24
1990 44,120,039 1.36 % 577,466 69,252 25.8 1.60 454 71.8 % 31,696,103 0.83 % 5,316,175,862 24
1985 41,232,709 1.56 % 612,442 82,082 23.2 1.75 424 64.2 % 26,474,831 0.85 % 4,861,730,613 23
1980 38,170,501 1.22 % 447,961 -132,395 20.9 2.72 393 56.5 % 21,582,191 0.86 % 4,444,007,706 23
1975 35,930,694 1.96 % 665,910 -37,366 18.8 3.41 370 47.3 % 16,997,155 0.88 % 4,069,437,231 22
1970 32,601,143 2.24 % 684,347 -28,035 17.6 4.41 335 40.2 % 13,110,502 0.88 % 3,695,390,336 23
1965 29,179,407 2.48 % 672,376 -111,260 17.4 5.00 300 32.0 % 9,351,713 0.87 % 3,337,111,983 24
1960 25,817,529 3.18 % 748,504 23,626 17.9 5.95 266 27.2 % 7,022,058 0.86 % 3,019,233,434 24
1955 22,075,008 1.89 % 394,200 75,562 17.6 6.11 227 23.8 % 5,251,885 0.80 % 2,746,072,141 24
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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South Korea Population Forecast

29,998
YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationSouth Korea
Global Rank
2025 51,690,479 -0.06 % -30,842 29,998 45.6 0.91 532 82.4 % 42,587,468 0.63 % 8,191,988,453 29
2030 51,290,214 -0.16 % -80,053 29,998 48.4 0.97 528 84.3 % 43,241,435 0.60 % 8,546,141,327 32
2035 50,532,567 -0.30 % -151,529 29,998 51.1 1.04 520 86.6 % 43,761,621 0.57 % 8,879,397,401 35
2040 49,319,974 -0.48 % -242,519 29,998 53.2 1.09 507 89.2 % 44,014,618 0.54 % 9,188,250,492 38
2045 47,738,573 -0.65 % -316,280 29,998 54.9 1.13 491 92.1 % 43,976,623 0.50 % 9,467,543,575 40
2050 45,770,874 -0.84 % -393,540   56.7 1.17 471 95.3 % 43,616,033 0.47 % 9,709,491,761 46
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

South Korea Demographics

Main Page: Demographics of South Korea
Life Expectancy
84.14 years
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)
View by sex and historical chart
Infant Mortality
2.2
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart
Deaths under age 5
2.7
(per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in South Korea

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

# CITY NAME POPULATION
1 Seoul 10,349,312
2 Busan 3,678,555
3 Incheon 2,628,000
4 Daegu 2,566,540
5 Daejeon 1,475,221
6 Gwangju 1,416,938
7 Suwon 1,242,724
8 Goyang-si 1,073,069
9 Seongnam-si 1,031,935
10 Ulsan 962,865
11 Bucheon-si 850,731
12 Jeonju 711,424
13 Ansan-si 650,728
14 Cheongju-si 634,596
15 Anyang-si 634,367
16 Changwon 550,000
17 Pohang 500,000
18 Uijeongbu-si 479,141
19 Hwaseong-si 476,297
20 Masan 434,371
21 Jeju City 408,364
22 Cheonan 365,114
23 Kwangmyong 357,545
24 Kimhae 356,242
25 Chinju 307,242
26 Yeosu 295,538
27 Gumi 291,006
28 Iksan 283,501
29 Mokpo 268,402
30 Gunsan 243,406
31 Wonju 243,387
32 Suncheon 230,796
33 Sejong 230,327
34 Chuncheon 209,746
35 Icheon-si 196,230
36 Guri-si 195,236
37 Gangneung 180,611
38 Yangju 179,923
39 Osan 158,978
40 Seogwipo 155,691
41 Gyeongju 155,237
42 Gimcheon 150,000
43 Jeongeup 139,876
44 Hanam 134,902
45 Gyeongsan-si 129,903
46 Andong 129,319
47 Hwado 106,358
48 Tonghae 101,128
49 Asan 97,749
50 Wabu 96,775
51 Namyangju 90,798
52 Kwangyang 89,281
53 Hongseong 89,174
54 Sokcho 89,047
55 Eisen 84,625
56 Wanju 84,009
57 Yangp'yong 83,367
58 Ungsang 83,360
59 Sinhyeon 82,560
60 Gwangju 81,780
61 Mungyeong 81,525
62 Naeso 80,987
63 Muan 75,718
64 Hongch'on 75,251
65 Changnyeong 74,668
66 Seosan 74,208
67 Koch'ang 72,996
68 Gongju 72,435
69 Kyosai 72,124
70 Yangsan 71,936

See also

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Notes

The South Korea Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of the Republic of Korea delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of South Korea (1950 - 2023) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2023.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2023. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.


Yearly % Change: For 2023: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2023: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by South Korea in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.