Population of South Korea

As of May 2025, the population of South Korea is 51.7 million. The number of inhabitants has decreased by 56 thousand in the last year, representing a decline of 0.10%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 39.9 years in 2015 to 45.6 years in 2025. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 84.4 years and population density is 522.4 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Population Growth

The population growth rate of South Korea peaked in 1957, reaching around 3.2% annually, but has since declined to approximately -0.11% in 2025. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 783.88 thousand in 1959 to nearly -55.84 thousand in 2025.

Life Expectancy

In South Korea, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 78.5 years in 2005 to 84.4 years in 2025, representing an increase of almost 6 years over the past 2 decades.

Most populous cities in South Korea

South Korea has multiple large cities with a significant number of inhabitants. The most populous city is Seoul, con una diferencia significativa sobre las demás, alcanzando approximately 10.3 million inhabitants. It is followed by Busan with 3.7 million and Incheon with 3 million.

These are the 20 most populous cities in South Korea: