South Korea Demographics

Population of South Korea (2026)

View live population, charts & trends: Population of South Korea

South Korea Population
51,600,388
see live
Yearly Change
−0.13%
Global Share
0.62%
Global Rank
31

Median Age

The median age in South Korea is 46.2 years (2026).

Fertility in South Korea

A Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1 represents the Replacement-Level Fertility : the average number of children per woman needed for each generation to exactly replace itself without needing international immigration. A value below 2.1 will cause the native population to decline


Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
0.76
(Live Births per Woman, 2026)

Life Expectancy in South Korea

See also: Countries in the world ranked by Life Expectancy

Both Sexes
84.6
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes combined)
Females
87.5
(life expectancy at birth, females)
Males
81.6
(life expectancy at birth, males)


Infant Mortality Rate and Deaths of Children under 5 Years Old in South Korea


Infant Mortality
1.9
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
Deaths under age 5
2.5
(per 1,000 live births)


South Korea Urban Population

Currently, 81.2% of the population of South Korea is urban (41,890,389 people in 2026)


Population Density

The 2026 population density in South Korea is 532 people per km² (1,379 people per mi2), calculated on a total land area of 96,920 km² (37,421 sq. miles).

Largest Cities in South Korea

The 30 largest of 85 cities, ranked by population at the census of November 1, 2025 (by National Statistical Office, South Korea).

RankCityPopulation
1Seoul9,315,066
2Busan3,235,362
3Incheon3,093,590
4Daeguincl. Gunwi-gun2,363,643
5Daejeon1,469,299
6Gwangju1,431,903
7Suwon1,221,616
8Ulsan1,103,509
9Yongin1,085,182
10Goyang1,036,961
11Hwaseong1,027,532
12Changwonincl. Masan, Jinhae992,277
13Seongnam893,970
14Cheongjuincl. Cheongwon-gun879,244
15Bucheon785,571
16Namyangju716,833
17Cheonan702,769
18Ansan692,647
19Jeonju641,632
20Pyeongtaek627,213
21Siheung569,365
22Anyang556,447
23Gimhae552,713
24Paju524,107
25Gimpo497,542
26Jeju491,186
27Pohang490,882
28Uijeongbu459,109
29Gumi408,184
30Gwangju403,286
See all 85 cities in South Korea

See also

Sources

Definitions

Population Pyramid

A Population pyramid (also called "Age-Sex Pyramid") is a graphical representation of the age and sex of a population.

Types:

  • Expansive - pyramid with a wide base (larger percentage of people in younger age groups, indicating high birth rates and high fertility rates) and narrow top (high death rate and lower life expectancies). It suggests a growing population. Example: Nigeria Population Pyramid
  • Constrictive - pyramid with a narrow base (lower percentage of younger people, indicating declining birth rates with each succeeding age group getting smaller than the previous one). Example: United States
  • Stationary - with a somewhat equal proportion of the population in each age group. The population is stable, neither increasing nor decreasing.

Stages:

Population pyramid stages

Dependency Ratio

There are three types of age dependency ratio: Youth, Elderly, and Total. All three ratios are commonly multiplied by 100.

Youth Dependency Ratio

Definition: population ages 0-15 divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 0-15] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Elderly dependency ratio

Definition: population ages 65-plus divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 65-plus] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Total dependency ratio

Definition: sum of the youth and old-age ratios.

Formula: (([Population ages 0-15] + [Population ages 65-plus]) ÷ [Population ages 16-64] ) × 100

NOTE: Dependency Ratio does not take into account labor force participation rates by age group. Some portion of the population counted as "working age" may actually be unemployed or not in the labor force whereas some portion of the "dependent" population may be employed and not necessarily economically dependent.