Age dependency ratio young of working age population in South Korea
South Korea: Age dependency ratio young of working age population was 15.52 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio young of working age population in South Korea, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for age dependency ratio young of working age population in South Korea is 15.52, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.3% on the previous year and down 22.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio young of working age population in South Korea peaked at 81.57 in 1966 and was at its lowest, 15.52, in 2023.
That places South Korea 235th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Age dependency ratio young of working age population in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 78.76 | — |
| 1951 | 78.5 | -0.3% |
| 1952 | 77.28 | -1.6% |
| 1953 | 75.48 | -2.3% |
| 1954 | 73.91 | -2.1% |
| 1955 | 72.79 | -1.5% |
| 1956 | 72.08 | -1.0% |
| 1957 | 71.73 | -0.5% |
| 1958 | 72.06 | +0.4% |
| 1959 | 73.08 | +1.4% |
| 1960 | 74.35 | +1.7% |
| 1961 | 75.81 | +2.0% |
| 1962 | 77.48 | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 79.12 | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 80.41 | +1.6% |
| 1965 | 81.2 | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 81.57 | +0.5% |
| 1967 | 81.19 | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 80.31 | -1.1% |
| 1969 | 79.13 | -1.5% |
| 1970 | 77.34 | -2.3% |
| 1971 | 75.5 | -2.4% |
| 1972 | 73.79 | -2.3% |
| 1973 | 71.73 | -2.8% |
| 1974 | 69.33 | -3.3% |
| 1975 | 66.58 | -4.0% |
| 1976 | 63.66 | -4.4% |
| 1977 | 60.98 | -4.2% |
| 1978 | 58.57 | -4.0% |
| 1979 | 56.54 | -3.5% |
| 1980 | 54.76 | -3.1% |
| 1981 | 53.13 | -3.0% |
| 1982 | 51.69 | -2.7% |
| 1983 | 50.13 | -3.0% |
| 1984 | 48.2 | -3.8% |
| 1985 | 46.05 | -4.5% |
| 1986 | 43.92 | -4.6% |
| 1987 | 41.93 | -4.5% |
| 1988 | 40.18 | -4.2% |
| 1989 | 38.64 | -3.8% |
| 1990 | 37.27 | -3.5% |
| 1991 | 36.13 | -3.1% |
| 1992 | 35.19 | -2.6% |
| 1993 | 34.37 | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 33.53 | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 32.54 | -2.9% |
| 1996 | 31.53 | -3.1% |
| 1997 | 30.65 | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 29.95 | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 29.46 | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 29.17 | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 28.91 | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 28.55 | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 28.09 | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 27.53 | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 26.82 | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 26.01 | -3.0% |
| 2007 | 25.14 | -3.3% |
| 2008 | 24.25 | -3.6% |
| 2009 | 23.38 | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 22.57 | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 21.68 | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 20.77 | -4.2% |
| 2013 | 20.02 | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 19.38 | -3.2% |
| 2015 | 18.78 | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 18.22 | -3.0% |
| 2017 | 17.8 | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 17.45 | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 17.11 | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 16.81 | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 16.49 | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 16.05 | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 15.52 | -3.3% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 15.52 is below the median for high income countries, which is 24.92, 62% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 15.52 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 36.66, 42% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 74.57 | 71.73 | 78.76 | 10 |
| 1960s | 79.06 | 74.35 | 81.57 | 10 |
| 1970s | 67.4 | 56.54 | 77.34 | 10 |
| 1980s | 46.86 | 38.64 | 54.76 | 10 |
| 1990s | 33.06 | 29.46 | 37.27 | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.78 | 23.38 | 29.17 | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.38 | 17.11 | 22.57 | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.22 | 15.52 | 16.81 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More population data for South Korea
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.17 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.17 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3601 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -1.45 (2100)
- Population density 223.86 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 599,530 (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development -1.45 (2100)
- Urbanization vs gdp, annual growth rate 0.007 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio young of working age population in South Korea?
- Age dependency ratio young of working age population in South Korea was 15.52 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio young of working age population recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 81.57 in 1966.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio young of working age population recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.52 in 2023.
- How does South Korea rank for age dependency ratio young of working age population?
- South Korea ranks 235th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is age dependency ratio young of working age population rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Age dependency ratio young of working age population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).