Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Korea
South Korea: Number of children, working-age adults, and older people was 9.48 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Korea, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2023, number of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Korea stood at 9.48 million people. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.8% on the previous year and up 56.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Korea peaked at 9.48 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 539,268 people, in 1951.
That places South Korea 17th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 640,979 people | 539,268 people | 783,877 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 943,348 people | 817,265 people | 1.06 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.27 million people | 1.09 million people | 1.42 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.74 million people | 1.46 million people | 2.07 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.59 million people | 2.15 million people | 3.14 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.22 million people | 3.32 million people | 5.15 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.50 million people | 5.36 million people | 7.79 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.84 million people | 8.20 million people | 9.48 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More population data for South Korea
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.4% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 599,530 people (2100)
- Population density 223.86 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -1.4% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 0.748 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 4,241 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 0.748 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 0.748 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate -0.2% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 0.72 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Korea?
- Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Korea was 9.48 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 9.48 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 539,268 people in 1951.
- How does South Korea rank for number of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- South Korea ranks 17th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 56.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of children, working-age adults, and older people. 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).
About this data
The total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 65+.