Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Korea
South Korea: Share of children, working-age adults, and older people was 5.68 million people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
5.68 million people
Change on year
down 3.9%
World rank
67th
of 236 countries
All-time high
13.95 million people
in 1973
All-time low
5.68 million people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Share 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
The most recent figure for share of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Korea is 5.68 million people, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 3.9% on the previous year and down 22.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Korea peaked at 13.95 million people in 1973 and was at its lowest, 5.68 million people, in 2023.
South Korea ranks 67th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Korea, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 8.47 million people | — |
| 1951 | 8.50 million people | +0.4% |
| 1952 | 8.58 million people | +0.9% |
| 1953 | 8.69 million people | +1.3% |
| 1954 | 8.84 million people | +1.8% |
| 1955 | 9.05 million people | +2.3% |
| 1956 | 9.30 million people | +2.7% |
| 1957 | 9.58 million people | +3.1% |
| 1958 | 9.94 million people | +3.7% |
| 1959 | 10.35 million people | +4.2% |
| 1960 | 10.79 million people | +4.2% |
| 1961 | 11.21 million people | +3.9% |
| 1962 | 11.62 million people | +3.7% |
| 1963 | 12.03 million people | +3.5% |
| 1964 | 12.39 million people | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 12.69 million people | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 12.97 million people | +2.2% |
| 1967 | 13.22 million people | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 13.43 million people | +1.6% |
| 1969 | 13.60 million people | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 13.72 million people | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 13.81 million people | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 13.91 million people | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 13.95 million people | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 13.93 million people | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 13.82 million people | -0.8% |
| 1976 | 13.64 million people | -1.3% |
| 1977 | 13.44 million people | -1.4% |
| 1978 | 13.26 million people | -1.4% |
| 1979 | 13.11 million people | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 12.98 million people | -1.0% |
| 1981 | 12.90 million people | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 12.87 million people | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 12.81 million people | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 12.66 million people | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 12.42 million people | -1.8% |
| 1986 | 12.17 million people | -2.0% |
| 1987 | 11.94 million people | -1.9% |
| 1988 | 11.73 million people | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 11.55 million people | -1.5% |
| 1990 | 11.38 million people | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 11.20 million people | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 11.02 million people | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 10.86 million people | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 10.70 million people | -1.5% |
| 1995 | 10.50 million people | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 10.29 million people | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 10.11 million people | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 9.97 million people | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 9.87 million people | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 9.81 million people | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 9.77 million people | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 9.68 million people | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 9.56 million people | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 9.41 million people | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 9.21 million people | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 8.98 million people | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 8.73 million people | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 8.47 million people | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 8.22 million people | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 7.99 million people | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 7.76 million people | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 7.53 million people | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 7.34 million people | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 7.18 million people | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 7.02 million people | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 6.85 million people | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 6.70 million people | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 6.56 million people | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 6.42 million people | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 6.28 million people | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 6.12 million people | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 5.91 million people | -3.4% |
| 2023 | 5.68 million people | -3.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 5.68 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 424,895 people, 13.4× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 5.68 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 473,838 people, 12.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 9.13 million people | 8.47 million people | 10.35 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 12.40 million people | 10.79 million people | 13.60 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 13.66 million people | 13.11 million people | 13.95 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.40 million people | 11.55 million people | 12.98 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.59 million people | 9.87 million people | 11.38 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.18 million people | 8.22 million people | 9.81 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.14 million people | 6.42 million people | 7.99 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.00 million people | 5.68 million people | 6.28 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More population data for South Korea
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.17 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- 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)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3601 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per capita 0.1882 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Korea?
- Share of children, working-age adults, and older people in South Korea was 5.68 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 13.95 million people in 1973.
- What is the lowest share of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.68 million people in 2023.
- How does South Korea rank for share of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- South Korea ranks 67th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Share 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
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 0-14.