Population, Persons for countries / Index for country … 9/26/2025 in South Korea
South Korea: Population, Persons for countries / Index for country … 9/26/2025 was 51.22 million in 2031. ▲ Rising
Population, Persons for countries / Index for country groups in South Korea, 1980–2031
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
In 2031, population, persons for countries / index for country groups in South Korea stood at 51.22 million.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population, persons for countries / index for country groups in South Korea peaked at 51.84 million in 2020 and was at its lowest, 38.12 million, in 1980.
That places South Korea 9th out of 26 countries with data for 2031, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Population, Persons for countries / Index for country … 9/26/2025 in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 38.12 million | — |
| 1981 | 38.72 million | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 39.33 million | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 39.91 million | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 40.41 million | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 40.81 million | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 41.21 million | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 41.62 million | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 42.03 million | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 42.45 million | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 42.87 million | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 43.30 million | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 43.75 million | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 44.19 million | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 44.64 million | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 45.09 million | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 45.52 million | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 45.95 million | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 46.29 million | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 46.62 million | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 47.01 million | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 47.37 million | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 47.64 million | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 47.89 million | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 48.08 million | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 48.18 million | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 48.44 million | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 48.68 million | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 49.05 million | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 49.31 million | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 49.55 million | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 49.94 million | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 50.20 million | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 50.43 million | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 50.75 million | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 51.01 million | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 51.22 million | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 51.36 million | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 51.59 million | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 51.76 million | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 51.84 million | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 51.77 million | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 51.67 million | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 51.71 million | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 51.75 million | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 51.68 million | -0.1% |
| 2026 | 51.61 million | -0.1% |
| 2027 | 51.53 million | -0.2% |
| 2028 | 51.46 million | -0.1% |
| 2029 | 51.38 million | -0.2% |
| 2030 | 51.31 million | -0.1% |
| 2031 | 51.22 million | -0.2% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 51.22 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.78 million, 4.3× the median. (13 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 51.22 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 29.80 million, 1.7× the median. (7 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 40.46 million | 38.12 million | 42.45 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 44.82 million | 42.87 million | 46.62 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.17 million | 47.01 million | 49.31 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.78 million | 49.55 million | 51.76 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.64 million | 51.38 million | 51.84 million | 10 |
| 2030s | 51.27 million | 51.22 million | 51.31 million | 2 |
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, persons for countries / index for country groups in South Korea?
- Population, persons for countries / index for country groups in South Korea was 51.22 million in 2031, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest population, persons for countries / index for country groups recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 51.84 million in 2020.
- What is the lowest population, persons for countries / index for country groups recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.12 million in 1980.
- How does South Korea rank for population, persons for countries / index for country groups?
- South Korea ranks 9th out of 26 countries with data for 2031.
- Is population, persons for countries / index for country groups rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Population, Persons for countries / Index for country groups (9/26/2025). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The World Economic Outlook (WEO) database is created during the biannual WEO exercise, which begins in January and June of each year and results in the April and September/October WEO publication. Selected series from the publication are available in a database format.