Total population (thousands) in South Korea
South Korea: Total population (thousands) was 51,697 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
51,697 thousands
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
29th
of 233 countries
All-time high
51,891 thousands
in 2021
All-time low
32,193 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Total population in South Korea, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 51,697 thousands for total population in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in South Korea peaked at 51,891 thousands in 2021 and was at its lowest, 32,193 thousands, in 1970.
That places South Korea 29th out of 233 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Total population (thousands) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 32,193 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 32,892 thousands | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 33,588 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 34,285 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 34,967 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 35,609 thousands | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 36,143 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 36,617 thousands | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 37,070 thousands | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 37,494 thousands | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 37,928 thousands | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 38,354 thousands | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 39,024 thousands | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 39,688 thousands | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 40,314 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 40,883 thousands | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 41,415 thousands | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 42,022 thousands | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 42,622 thousands | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 43,224 thousands | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 43,826 thousands | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 44,337 thousands | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 44,541 thousands | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 44,766 thousands | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 45,009 thousands | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 45,252 thousands | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 45,484 thousands | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 45,793 thousands | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 46,090 thousands | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 46,372 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 46,629 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 46,904 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 47,183 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 47,416 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 47,613 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 47,781 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 47,922 thousands | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 48,091 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 48,265 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 48,448 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 48,646 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 48,893 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 49,362 thousands | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 49,837 thousands | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 50,305 thousands | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 50,773 thousands | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 51,195 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 51,401 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 51,572 thousands | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 51,710 thousands | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 51,826 thousands | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 51,891 thousands | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 51,806 thousands | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 51,759 thousands | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 51,738 thousands | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 51,697 thousands | -0.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 51,697 thousands is above the median for high income countries, which is 3,084 thousands, 16.8× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 51,697 thousands is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1,410 thousands, 36.7× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 35,086 thousands | 32,193 thousands | 37,494 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 40,547 thousands | 37,928 thousands | 43,224 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 45,147 thousands | 43,826 thousands | 46,372 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 47,625 thousands | 46,629 thousands | 48,448 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 50,369 thousands | 48,646 thousands | 51,710 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 51,786 thousands | 51,697 thousands | 51,891 thousands | 6 |
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)
- World population growth -1.4% (2100)
- Population density 223.86 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 599,530 people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.4% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate -0.0908 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total population in South Korea?
- Total population in South Korea was 51,697 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total population recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 51,891 thousands in 2021.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 32,193 thousands in 1970.
- How does South Korea rank for total population?
- South Korea ranks 29th out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total population rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total population (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release