Population by age group with projections in South Korea

South Korea: Population by age group with projections was 51.75 million in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
51.75 million
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
29th
of 236 countries
All-time high
51.86 million
in 2020
All-time low
19.76 million
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023

Population by age group with projections in South Korea, 1950–2023

020.0M40.0M60.0M195019862023

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for population by age group with projections in South Korea is 51.75 million, measured in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 3.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population by age group with projections in South Korea peaked at 51.86 million in 2020 and was at its lowest, 19.76 million, in 1950.

That places South Korea 29th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.

Population by age group with projections in South Korea, year by year

Annual values for Population by age group with projections in South Korea, 1950 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1950 19.76 million —
1951 19.87 million +0.6%
1952 20.23 million +1.8%
1953 20.78 million +2.7%
1954 21.42 million +3.1%
1955 22.13 million +3.3%
1956 22.87 million +3.4%
1957 23.66 million +3.4%
1958 24.47 million +3.4%
1959 25.30 million +3.4%
1960 26.12 million +3.2%
1961 26.85 million +2.8%
1962 27.51 million +2.4%
1963 28.15 million +2.3%
1964 28.75 million +2.1%
1965 29.28 million +1.9%
1966 29.85 million +1.9%
1967 30.50 million +2.2%
1968 31.18 million +2.2%
1969 31.85 million +2.2%
1970 32.54 million +2.2%
1971 33.24 million +2.1%
1972 33.94 million +2.1%
1973 34.63 million +2.0%
1974 35.29 million +1.9%
1975 35.88 million +1.7%
1976 36.38 million +1.4%
1977 36.84 million +1.3%
1978 37.28 million +1.2%
1979 37.71 million +1.2%
1980 38.14 million +1.1%
1981 38.69 million +1.4%
1982 39.36 million +1.7%
1983 40.00 million +1.6%
1984 40.60 million +1.5%
1985 41.15 million +1.4%
1986 41.72 million +1.4%
1987 42.32 million +1.4%
1988 42.92 million +1.4%
1989 43.52 million +1.4%
1990 44.08 million +1.3%
1991 44.44 million +0.8%
1992 44.65 million +0.5%
1993 44.89 million +0.5%
1994 45.13 million +0.5%
1995 45.37 million +0.5%
1996 45.64 million +0.6%
1997 45.94 million +0.7%
1998 46.23 million +0.6%
1999 46.50 million +0.6%
2000 46.77 million +0.6%
2001 47.04 million +0.6%
2002 47.30 million +0.5%
2003 47.51 million +0.5%
2004 47.70 million +0.4%
2005 47.85 million +0.3%
2006 48.01 million +0.3%
2007 48.18 million +0.4%
2008 48.36 million +0.4%
2009 48.55 million +0.4%
2010 48.77 million +0.5%
2011 49.13 million +0.7%
2012 49.60 million +1.0%
2013 50.07 million +1.0%
2014 50.54 million +0.9%
2015 50.98 million +0.9%
2016 51.30 million +0.6%
2017 51.49 million +0.4%
2018 51.64 million +0.3%
2019 51.77 million +0.2%
2020 51.86 million +0.2%
2021 51.85 million -0.0%
2022 51.78 million -0.1%
2023 51.75 million -0.1%

South Korea compared with similar countries

  • South Korea's 51.75 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.98 million, 17.4× the median. (85 countries reporting)
  • South Korea's 51.75 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.38 million, 37.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 22.05 million 19.76 million 25.30 million 10
1960s 29.00 million 26.12 million 31.85 million 10
1970s 35.37 million 32.54 million 37.71 million 10
1980s 40.84 million 38.14 million 43.52 million 10
1990s 45.29 million 44.08 million 46.50 million 10
2000s 47.73 million 46.77 million 48.55 million 10
2010s 50.53 million 48.77 million 51.77 million 10
2020s 51.81 million 51.75 million 51.86 million 4

Countries ranked near South Korea

  1. 26 Kenya 55.34 million compare
  2. 27 Myanmar 54.13 million compare
  3. 28 Colombia 52.32 million compare
  4. 30 Sudan 50.04 million compare
  5. 31 Uganda 48.66 million compare
  6. 32 Spain 47.91 million compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More population data for South Korea

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is population by age group with projections in South Korea?
Population by age group with projections in South Korea was 51.75 million in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest population by age group with projections recorded in South Korea?
The highest recorded value was 51.86 million in 2020.
What is the lowest population by age group with projections recorded in South Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 19.76 million in 1950.
How does South Korea rank for population by age group with projections?
South Korea ranks 29th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is population by age group with projections rising or falling in South Korea?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Korea data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Population by age group with projections. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population by age group with projections in South Korea. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 11 November 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/population-by-age-group-with-projections/korea-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Population by age group with projections
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed