Updated on July 16, 2023 with the latest
July 2023-July 2024 estimates from the 2022 U.N. Revision

South Korea Population (LIVE)

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South Korea Population (1950 - 2023)

Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)

The current population of the Republic of Korea is 51,773,213 as of Tuesday, October 3, 2023, 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 (2023 and historical)

Year	Population	Yearly % Change	Yearly Change	Migrants (net)	Median Age	Fertility Rate	Density (P/Km²)	Urban Pop %	Urban Population	Country's Share of World Pop	World Population	South Korea Global Rank
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).

South Korea Population Forecast

29,998

Year	Population	Yearly % Change	Yearly Change	Migrants (net)	Median Age	Fertility Rate	Density (P/Km²)	Urban Pop %	Urban Population	Country's Share of World Pop	World Population	South 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

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.