Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in South Korea
South Korea: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was 0.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in South Korea, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2024, population growth in South Korea stood at 0.1%.
That represents a change of down 4.1% on the previous year and down 88.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in South Korea peaked at 2.2% in 1970 and was at its lowest, -0.2%, in 2022.
That places South Korea 169th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.2% | — |
| 1971 | 2.0% | -9.7% |
| 1972 | 1.9% | -4.8% |
| 1973 | 1.8% | -5.7% |
| 1974 | 1.7% | -3.1% |
| 1975 | 1.7% | -1.8% |
| 1976 | 1.6% | -5.1% |
| 1977 | 1.6% | -2.4% |
| 1978 | 1.5% | -2.6% |
| 1979 | 1.5% | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 1.6% | +2.7% |
| 1981 | 1.6% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 1.5% | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 1.5% | -4.6% |
| 1984 | 1.2% | -16.3% |
| 1985 | 1.0% | -20.2% |
| 1986 | 1.0% | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 1.0% | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 1.0% | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 1.0% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 1.0% | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 1.0% | +5.0% |
| 1993 | 1.0% | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 1.0% | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 1.0% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1.0% | -5.3% |
| 1997 | 0.9% | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 0.7% | -23.0% |
| 1999 | 0.7% | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 0.8% | +17.6% |
| 2001 | 0.8% | -8.2% |
| 2002 | 0.6% | -24.7% |
| 2003 | 0.5% | -10.3% |
| 2004 | 0.4% | -23.5% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | -46.5% |
| 2006 | 0.5% | +147.7% |
| 2007 | 0.5% | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 0.8% | +50.3% |
| 2009 | 0.5% | -32.2% |
| 2010 | 0.5% | -3.2% |
| 2011 | 0.8% | +54.3% |
| 2012 | 0.5% | -31.6% |
| 2013 | 0.5% | -13.4% |
| 2014 | 0.6% | +38.0% |
| 2015 | 0.5% | -16.1% |
| 2016 | 0.4% | -24.7% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | -29.2% |
| 2018 | 0.4% | +54.3% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | -19.8% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | -60.4% |
| 2021 | -0.1% | -193.4% |
| 2022 | -0.2% | +45.6% |
| 2023 | 0.1% | -141.3% |
| 2024 | 0.1% | -4.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%, 14% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.1% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.7%, 11% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | -193.4% | 0.1% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | +147.7% | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| 2023 | +141.3% | -0.2% | 0.1% |
| 2011 | +54.3% | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| 2018 | +54.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| 2020 | -60.4% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.7% | 1.5% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.2% | 1.0% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.9% | 0.7% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6% | 0.2% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.0% | -0.2% | 0.1% | 5 |
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 population growth in South Korea?
- Population growth in South Korea was 0.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.2% in 1970.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.2% in 2022.
- How does South Korea rank for population growth?
- South Korea ranks 169th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 88.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release