Population aged 25-64 years (thousands) in South Korea
South Korea: Population aged 25-64 years (thousands) was 31,028 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
31,028 thousands
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
25th
of 233 countries
All-time high
31,459 thousands
in 2020
All-time low
11,696 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Population aged 25-64 years in South Korea, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
In 2025, population aged 25-64 years in South Korea stood at 31,028 thousands.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population aged 25-64 years in South Korea peaked at 31,459 thousands in 2020 and was at its lowest, 11,696 thousands, in 1970.
That places South Korea 25th out of 233 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Population aged 25-64 years (thousands) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 11,696 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 11,935 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 12,204 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1973 | 12,538 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 12,874 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 13,205 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 13,512 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 13,790 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 14,162 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 14,487 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 14,901 thousands | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 15,388 thousands | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 15,908 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 16,504 thousands | +3.7% |
| 1984 | 17,159 thousands | +4.0% |
| 1985 | 17,832 thousands | +3.9% |
| 1986 | 18,488 thousands | +3.7% |
| 1987 | 19,156 thousands | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 19,843 thousands | +3.6% |
| 1989 | 20,521 thousands | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 21,150 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 21,750 thousands | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 22,198 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 22,648 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 23,129 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 23,590 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 24,040 thousands | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 24,519 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 24,958 thousands | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 25,364 thousands | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 25,698 thousands | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 25,961 thousands | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 26,248 thousands | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 26,537 thousands | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 26,820 thousands | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 27,132 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 27,478 thousands | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 27,812 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 28,107 thousands | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 28,386 thousands | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 28,621 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 28,851 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 29,297 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 29,694 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 30,067 thousands | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 30,438 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 30,808 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 31,027 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 31,173 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 31,350 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 31,459 thousands | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 31,445 thousands | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 31,404 thousands | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 31,340 thousands | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 31,258 thousands | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 31,028 thousands | -0.7% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 31,028 thousands is above the median for high income countries, which is 1,666 thousands, 18.6× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 31,028 thousands is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 559.65 thousands, 55.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13,040 thousands | 11,696 thousands | 14,487 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 17,570 thousands | 14,901 thousands | 20,521 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 23,335 thousands | 21,150 thousands | 25,364 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 27,018 thousands | 25,698 thousands | 28,386 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 30,132 thousands | 28,621 thousands | 31,350 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 31,322 thousands | 31,028 thousands | 31,459 thousands | 6 |
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)
- World population growth -1.4% (2100)
- Population density 223.86 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 599,530 people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.4% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate -0.0908 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population aged 25-64 years in South Korea?
- Population aged 25-64 years in South Korea was 31,028 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population aged 25-64 years recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 31,459 thousands in 2020.
- What is the lowest population aged 25-64 years recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 11,696 thousands in 1970.
- How does South Korea rank for population aged 25-64 years?
- South Korea ranks 25th out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population aged 25-64 years rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population aged 25-64 years (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release