South Korea Population (LIVE)

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South Korea Population (1950 - 2026)

Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)

The current population of the Republic of Korea is 51,599,926 as of Wednesday, October 28, 2026, based on Worldometer's elaboration of the latest United Nations data¹.
South Korea 2026 population is estimated at 51,600,388 people at mid-year.
South Korea population is equivalent to 0.62% of the total world population .
South Korea ranks number 31 in the list of countries and other entities by population .
The population density in South Korea is 532 per km² (1,379 people per mi²).
The total land area is 96,920 km² (37,421 sq. miles).
81.2% of the population is urban (41,890,389 people in 2026)
The median age in South Korea is 46.2 years .

1. U.N. Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs - Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of South Korea (2026 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
2026	51,600,388	−0.13%	−66,641	62,644	46.2	0.76	532	81.2%	41,890,389	0.62%	8,300,678,396	31
2025	51,667,029	−0.10%	−50,561	65,731	45.6	0.75	533	81.2%	41,940,208	0.63%	8,231,613,070	29
2024	51,717,590	−0.06%	−31,149	75,963	45.1	0.73	534	81.2%	41,978,264	0.63%	8,161,972,572	29
2023	51,748,739	−0.07%	−33,773	87,800	44.5	0.72	534	81.2%	42,001,634	0.64%	8,091,734,930	29
2022	51,782,512	−0.13%	−65,886	87,800	43.9	0.78	534	81.2%	42,027,978	0.65%	8,021,407,192	28
2021	51,848,398	−0.02%	−10,084	−16,778	43.4	0.78	535	81.2%	42,081,017	0.65%	7,954,448,392	28
2020	51,858,482	+0.34%	174,914	112,631	42.8	0.81	535	81.2%	42,096,620	0.66%	7,887,001,292	28
2015	50,983,912	+0.89%	442,916	276,427	39.9	1.20	526	81.6%	41,623,006	0.68%	7,470,491,872	27
2010	48,769,332	+0.38%	183,538	52,042	36.6	1.23	503	82.0%	39,975,494	0.69%	7,021,732,148	26
2005	47,851,644	+0.46%	216,997	−47,821	33.6	1.12	494	81.4%	38,946,518	0.73%	6,586,970,132	25
2000	46,766,661	+0.61%	279,647	−84,960	30.7	1.47	483	79.6%	37,216,890	0.76%	6,171,702,994	26
1995	45,368,425	+0.58%	257,400	−208,491	28.3	1.65	468	78.4%	35,569,044	0.79%	5,758,878,982	24
1990	44,081,427	+1.39%	586,493	79,294	25.8	1.60	455	74.0%	32,613,695	0.83%	5,327,803,110	24
1985	41,148,963	+1.53%	601,571	97,949	23.3	1.71	425	64.8%	26,662,586	0.85%	4,868,943,466	23
1980	38,141,106	+1.23%	453,073	−148,341	20.9	2.73	394	56.7%	21,609,012	0.86%	4,447,606,236	23
1975	35,875,742	+1.97%	666,709	−52,332	18.8	3.31	370	48.0%	17,208,660	0.88%	4,070,735,278	22
1970	32,542,197	+2.13%	651,572	−27,999	17.7	4.46	336	40.7%	13,247,449	0.88%	3,694,683,794	24
1965	29,284,338	+2.32%	633,792	−146,386	17.5	4.89	302	32.0%	9,360,313	0.88%	3,334,533,703	24
1960	26,115,379	+3.37%	798,055	47,245	18.3	5.99	269	27.7%	7,230,258	0.87%	3,015,470,894	24
1955	22,125,103	+2.29%	473,556	151,123	17.9	6.17	228	24.4%	5,388,383	0.81%	2,740,213,792	24

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision . (Medium-fertility variant).

South Korea Population Forecast

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
2030	51,188,584	−0.19%	−95,689	47,022	48.5	0.81	528	81.2%	41,590,406	0.60%	8,569,124,911	32
2035	50,300,733	−0.35%	−177,570	31,740	51.2	0.88	519	81.4%	40,966,118	0.57%	8,885,210,181	36
2040	48,948,687	−0.54%	−270,409	19,948	53.3	0.93	505	81.8%	40,043,874	0.53%	9,177,190,203	37
2045	47,232,956	−0.71%	−343,146	17,890	55.0	0.98	487	82.4%	38,920,239	0.50%	9,439,639,668	43
2050	45,143,134	−0.90%	−417,964	15,924	56.7	1.03	466	83.3%	37,593,128	0.47%	9,664,378,587	47

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision . (Medium-fertility variant).

South Korea Demographics (2026)

Main Page: Demographics of South Korea

Life Expectancy

84.6 years

(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)

View by sex and historical chart

Infant Mortality Rate

1.9

(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

Deaths under age 5

2.5

(per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

Largest Cities in South Korea

The 70 largest of 85 cities, ranked by population at the census of November 1, 2025 (by National Statistical Office, South Korea).

Rank	City	Population
1	Seoul	9,315,066
2	Busan	3,235,362
3	Incheon	3,093,590
4	Daeguincl. Gunwi-gun	2,363,643
5	Daejeon	1,469,299
6	Gwangju	1,431,903
7	Suwon	1,221,616
8	Ulsan	1,103,509
9	Yongin	1,085,182
10	Goyang	1,036,961
11	Hwaseong	1,027,532
12	Changwonincl. Masan, Jinhae	992,277
13	Seongnam	893,970
14	Cheongjuincl. Cheongwon-gun	879,244
15	Bucheon	785,571
16	Namyangju	716,833
17	Cheonan	702,769
18	Ansan	692,647
19	Jeonju	641,632
20	Pyeongtaek	627,213
21	Siheung	569,365
22	Anyang	556,447
23	Gimhae	552,713
24	Paju	524,107
25	Gimpo	497,542
26	Jeju	491,186
27	Pohang	490,882
28	Uijeongbu	459,109
29	Gumi	408,184
30	Gwangju	403,286
31	Asan	397,833
32	Sejong	392,471
33	Wonju	367,326
34	Yangsan	363,512
35	Jinju	344,145
36	Hanam	319,075
37	Yangju	301,086
38	Gyeongsan	299,199
39	Chuncheon	293,524
40	Gwangmyeong	284,792
41	Iksan	272,708
42	Suncheon	271,415
43	Gunsan	264,575
44	Osan	262,421
45	Yeosu	262,133
46	Gyeongju	260,108
47	Gunpo	253,270
48	Geoje	240,905
49	Icheon	232,146
50	Anseong	218,126
51	Chungju	217,413
52	Gangneung	211,628
53	Mokpo	208,883
54	Guri	181,716
55	Dangjin	179,584
56	Seogwipo	178,168
57	Seosan	176,859
58	Pocheon	156,136
59	Uiwang	155,267
60	Andong	154,183
61	Gwangyang	151,710
62	Gimcheon	135,795
63	Jecheon	130,497
64	Naju	120,095
65	Tongyeong	118,589
66	Yeoju	118,096
67	Nonsan	114,111
68	Sacheon	109,091
69	Gongju	104,504
70	Miryang	101,911

See all 85 cities in South Korea

Notes

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

The Population of South Korea (1950 - 2026) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2026.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2026. For years before 2021, this value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the annual percentage change equivalent 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 2024 Revision . For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2021 to 2026: percentage change in total population over the year before (from July 1 of the previous year to June 30 of the year indicated). For earlier years and for forecast years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2021 to 2026: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the year before (from July 1 of the previous year to June 30 of the year indicated). For earlier years and for forecast years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants in the year indicated. 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.

Data topics

Reference

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