The population of Republic of Korea is expected to grow by 128,000 in 2025 and reach 52,789,000 in 2026. Migration (including immigration and emigration) increases population by 40,000 people yearly. On average there are 466,217 births and 383,212 deaths in South Korea per year. Rate of natural increase is approximately 0.16 percent per year. The population density of South Korea has changed from 395.2 in 1980 to 534.4 in 2023.
| Current population | 52,713,748 people at present (Sunday 18th of May 2025) | |
| Median Age | 44.1 years |
| Life expectancy | 83.7 years | |
| Population density | 537.1 per km2 |
| Year | Population | Year change | Migrants | Median age | Fertility rate | Density (Ppl/km2) | Urban population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 52,668,000 | 128,000 (0.2%) | 40,000 | 44.1 | 1.43 | 537 | 44,125,000 (83.8%) |
| 2024 | 52,540,000 | 135,000 (0.3%) | 40,000 | 43.7 | 536 | 43,943,000 (83.6%) | |
| 2023 | 52,405,000 | 141,000 (0.3%) | 40,000 | 43.4 | 534 | 43,757,000 (83.5%) | |
| 2022 | 52,264,000 | 147,000 (0.3%) | 40,000 | 43.0 | 533 | 43,568,000 (83.4%) | |
| 2021 | 52,117,000 | 155,000 (0.3%) | 40,000 | 42.6 | 531 | 43,375,000 (83.2%) | |
| 2020 | 51,962,000 | 165,000 (0.3%) | 40,000 | 42.2 | 1.36 | 530 | 43,176,000 (83.1%) |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 40,000 | 41.8 | 1.34 | 528 | 42,973,000 (83.0%) |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 40,000 | 41.4 | 1.31 | 526 | 42,763,000 (82.8%) |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 40,000 | 41.0 | 1.29 | 524 | 42,547,000 (82.7%) |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 40,000 | 40.6 | 1.26 | 526 | 42,324,854 (82.6%) |
| 2015 | 51,014,947 | 268,288 (0.5%) | 40,000 | 40.1 | 1.24 | 523 | 42,074,067 (82.5%) |
| 2010 | 49,554,112 | 246,277 (0.5%) | 33,927 | 37.9 | 1.23 | 510 | 40,602,657 (81.9%) |
| 2005 | 48,184,561 | 102,042 (0.2%) | -31,307 | 35.5 | 1.08 | 498 | 39,195,731 (81.3%) |
| 2000 | 47,008,111 | 391,434 (0.8%) | 16,258 | 33.1 | 1.47 | 487 | 37,428,328 (79.6%) |
| 1995 | 45,092,991 | 451,451 (1.0%) | 31,868 | 31.2 | 1.63 | 467 | 35,280,305 (78.2%) |
| 1990 | 42,869,283 | 420,245 (1.0%) | 14,301 | 29.5 | 1.57 | 444 | 31,656,393 (73.8%) |
| 1985 | 40,805,744 | 399,788 (1.0%) | 34,125 | 27.5 | 1.66 | 423 | 26,473,134 (64.9%) |
| 1980 | 38,123,775 | 589,539 (1.6%) | 18,607 | 26.1 | 2.82 | 395 | 21,623,805 (56.7%) |
| 1975 | 35,280,725 | 588,459 (1.7%) | -33,029 | 24.7 | 3.43 | 366 | 16,946,391 (48.0%) |
| 1970 | 32,240,827 | 696,561 (2.2%) | -41,981 | 23.9 | 4.53 | 334 | 13,123,306 (40.7%) |
| 1965 | 28,704,674 | 720,519 (2.5%) | -9,729 | 23.3 | 5.13 | 298 | 9,286,249 (32.4%) |
| 1960 | 25,012,374 | 753,299 (2.9%) | 7,967 | 23.2 | 6.10 | 261 | 6,930,929 (27.7%) |
In 2024 the population of South Korea was 52,540,000 and the average age increased from 23.2 in 1960 to 43.7. Urban population has increased from 37,428,328 (79.6%) in 2000 to 44,125,000 (83.8%) in the current year. The population density of South Korea has changed from 395.2 in 1980 to 534.4 in 2023.
| Year | Population | Year change | Migrants | Median age | Fertility rate | Density (Ppl/km2) | Urban population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 40,000 | 42.2 | 1.36 | 530 | 43,176,000 (83.1%) |
| 2025 | 52,668,000 | 128,000 (0.2%) | 40,000 | 44.1 | 1.43 | 537 | 44,125,000 (83.8%) |
| 2030 | 53,178,000 | 80,000 (0.2%) | 40,000 | 45.7 | 1.49 | 542 | 44,949,000 (84.5%) |
| 2035 | 53,292,000 | -24,000 (-0.1%) | 40,000 | 47.2 | 1.54 | 543 | 45,466,000 (85.3%) |
| 2040 | 52,793,000 | -149,000 (-0.3%) | 40,000 | 48.6 | 1.59 | 539 | 45,461,000 (86.1%) |
| 2045 | 51,779,000 | -229,000 (-0.4%) | 40,000 | 49.7 | 1.62 | 531 | 44,984,000 (86.9%) |
| 2050 | 50,503,000 | -274,000 (-0.5%) | 40,000 | 50.5 | 1.65 | 519 | 44,243,000 (87.6%) |
The life expectancy at birth should reach 87.4 (84.6 years for male and 90.4 years for females). Population density will go down to 518.9 people per square kilometer.
The demographics of South Korea constitutes of 26,356,000 women and 26,312,000 men, which means there are 998 men per 1000 women. As far as age distribution goes, 17.5% of population (9,190,566) is 19 or younger, 62.7% of population (33,022,836) is between age 20 and 64 and 19.9% of population (10,459,865) is over 65.