South Korea Population 2023

The current population of South Korea is estimated at 51,928,423 people as of January, 2023, according to the latest population growth rate and projections.
Population of South Korea represent 0.66% of the total world population.
The population density of South Korea is 507 inhabitants per km².
South Korea is located in Asia.
South Korea ranks number 28 in the list of countries ordered by population.
The latitudinal point of South Korea is 35.9130° N. The longitudinal coordinate of the country is 127.7633° E.
The median age in South Korea is 43.7 years.
Minimum Wages in South Korea is 9,160 KRW per hour, around USD $7.09 per hour, in 2022.
The countries that South Korea shares its land boundary with are North Korea to the north. It is also bordered by the East Sea to the east, the East China Sea to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west. The Korea Strait lies to the south east and separate the country from the Japan.

South Korea

Official name	Republic of Korea
Location	Asia
Capital	Seoul
Population	51,912,141 (as of June, 2022)
Population density	507/km²
Population growth rate	0.07% (in 2023)
Area	100,363 km² (38,750.36 sq mi)
Official language	Korean
Currency	Korean Republic won (KRW)
Life expectancy	83.35 years
Internet TLD	.kr
Call code	+82

South Korea Population Graph

South Korea Population History (1960-2020)

Year	Population	Male Population	Female Population	Male (%)	Female (%)	Urban Population	Urban (%)
2020	51,839,349	25,950,778	25,888,571	50.06%	49.94%	42,202,414	81.41%
2019	51,767,928	25,920,202	25,847,726	50.07%	49.93%	42,154,624	81.43%
2018	51,588,153	25,835,347	25,752,806	50.08%	49.92%	42,023,709	81.46%
2017	51,364,993	25,728,725	25,636,268	50.09%	49.91%	41,862,469	81.5%
2016	51,220,876	25,661,659	25,559,217	50.1%	49.9%	41,775,746	81.56%
2015	51,018,008	25,565,124	25,452,884	50.11%	49.89%	41,646,000	81.63%
2014	50,749,704	25,430,677	25,319,027	50.11%	49.89%	41,467,583	81.71%
2013	50,431,919	25,271,435	25,160,484	50.11%	49.89%	41,243,223	81.78%
2012	50,202,865	25,151,635	25,051,230	50.1%	49.9%	41,091,045	81.85%
2011	49,945,627	25,022,759	24,922,868	50.1%	49.9%	40,915,458	81.92%
2010	49,563,032	24,831,079	24,731,953	50.1%	49.9%	40,611,948	81.94%
2009	49,316,710	24,712,603	24,604,107	50.11%	49.89%	40,360,795	81.84%
2008	49,063,538	24,595,552	24,467,986	50.13%	49.87%	40,099,630	81.73%
2007	48,692,401	24,414,370	24,278,031	50.14%	49.86%	39,747,607	81.63%
2006	48,447,011	24,296,176	24,150,835	50.15%	49.85%	39,498,848	81.53%
2005	48,193,234	24,178,545	24,014,689	50.17%	49.83%	39,205,196	81.35%
2004	48,091,174	24,127,342	23,963,832	50.17%	49.83%	38,953,851	81%
2003	47,900,951	24,031,907	23,869,044	50.17%	49.83%	38,632,117	80.65%
2002	47,653,312	23,907,667	23,745,645	50.17%	49.83%	38,265,610	80.3%
2001	47,378,691	23,769,889	23,608,802	50.17%	49.83%	37,874,526	79.94%
2000	47,016,572	23,588,214	23,428,358	50.17%	49.83%	37,434,595	79.62%
1999	46,625,068	23,396,459	23,228,609	50.18%	49.82%	37,010,979	79.38%
1998	46,294,835	23,230,748	23,064,087	50.18%	49.82%	36,642,362	79.15%
1997	45,961,852	23,063,657	22,898,195	50.18%	49.82%	36,268,497	78.91%
1996	45,532,875	22,852,950	22,679,925	50.19%	49.81%	35,816,159	78.66%
1995	45,101,108	22,631,736	22,469,372	50.18%	49.82%	35,287,107	78.24%
1994	44,649,575	22,405,157	22,244,418	50.18%	49.82%	34,581,096	77.45%
1993	44,202,583	22,176,436	22,026,147	50.17%	49.83%	33,881,280	76.65%
1992	43,755,837	21,943,552	21,812,285	50.15%	49.85%	33,175,676	75.82%
1991	43,303,497	21,712,373	21,591,124	50.14%	49.86%	32,464,632	74.97%
1990	42,876,999	21,494,240	21,382,759	50.13%	49.87%	31,660,376	73.84%
1989	42,456,679	21,279,288	21,177,391	50.12%	49.88%	30,632,494	72.15%
1988	42,038,813	21,065,649	20,973,164	50.11%	49.89%	29,591,120	70.39%
1987	41,629,182	20,856,220	20,772,962	50.1%	49.9%	28,540,967	68.56%
1986	41,221,092	20,647,645	20,573,447	50.09%	49.91%	27,486,224	66.68%
1985	40,813,089	20,443,276	20,369,813	50.09%	49.91%	26,479,532	64.88%
1984	40,413,229	20,242,986	20,170,243	50.09%	49.91%	25,581,574	63.3%
1983	39,917,587	19,994,719	19,922,868	50.09%	49.91%	24,625,159	61.69%
1982	39,333,431	19,706,049	19,627,382	50.1%	49.9%	23,623,659	60.06%
1981	38,730,218	19,403,839	19,326,379	50.1%	49.9%	22,622,320	58.41%
1980	38,130,637	19,107,262	19,023,375	50.11%	49.89%	21,627,697	56.72%
1979	37,540,992	18,811,791	18,729,201	50.11%	49.89%	20,640,037	54.98%
1978	36,975,839	18,532,291	18,443,548	50.12%	49.88%	19,682,239	53.23%
1977	36,418,349	18,252,877	18,165,472	50.12%	49.88%	18,748,166	51.48%
1976	35,854,976	17,974,099	17,880,877	50.13%	49.87%	17,827,094	49.72%
1975	35,287,076	17,692,940	17,594,136	50.14%	49.86%	16,948,383	48.03%
1974	34,698,511	17,401,303	17,297,208	50.15%	49.85%	16,162,566	46.58%
1973	34,109,288	17,112,630	16,996,658	50.17%	49.83%	15,393,522	45.13%
1972	33,511,437	16,819,390	16,692,047	50.19%	49.81%	14,641,147	43.69%
1971	32,888,623	16,513,378	16,375,245	50.21%	49.79%	13,898,732	42.26%
1970	32,246,630	16,197,482	16,049,148	50.23%	49.77%	13,124,378	40.7%
1969	31,549,944	15,853,847	15,696,097	50.25%	49.75%	12,228,758	38.76%
1968	30,843,853	15,508,289	15,335,564	50.28%	49.72%	11,365,960	36.85%
1967	30,136,407	15,161,626	14,974,781	50.31%	49.69%	10,538,702	34.97%
1966	29,440,869	14,817,589	14,623,280	50.33%	49.67%	9,818,530	33.35%
1965	28,709,841	14,455,405	14,254,436	50.35%	49.65%	9,287,634	32.35%
1964	27,989,192	14,098,156	13,891,036	50.37%	49.63%	8,780,210	31.37%
1963	27,266,654	13,736,940	13,529,714	50.38%	49.62%	8,291,789	30.41%
1962	26,517,802	13,362,320	13,155,482	50.39%	49.61%	7,812,144	29.46%
1961	25,770,311	12,980,506	12,789,805	50.37%	49.63%	7,352,270	28.53%
1960	25,016,876	12,593,495	12,423,381	50.34%	49.66%	6,932,176	27.71%

Source: Worldbank Open Data | Some data could be adjusted by Pediaglobe.

Cities in South Korea ordered by Population

The list offered below features the biggest cities of South Korea. Besides, in the table you will find information regarding the population size in these cities. Cities are ordered by population (largest to smallest).

South Korea

#	City	Population 2023
1	Seoul	10,360,696
2	Busan	3,682,234
3	Incheon	2,630,628
4	Daegu	2,570,133
5	Daejeon	1,477,286
6	Gwangju	1,418,638
7	Suwon	1,244,091
8	Goyang-si	1,074,249
9	Seongnam-si	1,033,070
10	Ulsan	963,924
11	Bucheon-si	851,752
12	Ansan-si	717,573
13	Jeonju	712,420
14	Cheonan	667,217
15	Hwaseong-si	641,787
16	Cheongju-si	635,231
17	Anyang-si	596,478
18	Kimhae	551,474
19	Changwon	550,715
20	Pohang	500,500
21	Jeju City	488,446
22	Uijeongbu-si	482,447
23	Masan	436,977
24	Gumi	431,363
25	Gwangmyeong	359,726
26	Wonju	334,180
27	Iksan	309,364
28	Chinju	308,686
29	Yeosu	297,400
30	Gunpo	287,889
31	Mokpo	270,227
32	Hanam	255,585
33	Gunsan	245,329
34	Suncheon	232,135
35	Sejong	231,317
36	Chungju	211,326
37	Chuncheon	210,753
38	Icheon-si	197,937
39	Guri-si	196,076
40	Gangneung	181,695
41	Yangju	181,092
42	Seogwipo	179,730
43	Osan	159,757
44	Gyeongju	156,339
45	Gimcheon	150,705
46	Jeongeup	140,463
47	Gyeongsan-si	130,747
48	Andong	130,147
49	Hwado	107,092
50	Tonghae	102,038
51	Sangju	102,006
52	Asan	98,394
53	Wabu	97,317
54	Namyangju	91,316
55	Kwangyang	89,933
56	Hongseong	89,932
57	Sokcho	89,813
58	Eisen	85,488
59	Wanju	84,883
60	Ungsang	84,169
61	Yangp'yong	83,959
62	Sinhyeon	83,377
63	Nangen	82,053
64	Naeso	81,821
65	Mungyeong	77,845
66	Muan	76,301
67	Hongch'on	76,064
68	Changnyeong	75,489
69	Seosan	74,839
70	Koch'ang	73,799
71	Gongju	73,116
72	Kyosai	72,838
73	Yangsan	72,713
74	Anseong	69,975
75	Hwawon	65,288
76	Pubal	63,562
77	Kosong	62,946
78	Boryeong	62,573
79	Chinch'on	61,635
80	Hwasun	60,561
81	Okcheon	57,155
82	Gapyeong	56,002
83	Yeongam	55,418
84	Sinan	53,719
85	Miryang	53,645
86	T'aebaek	49,427
87	Kimje	45,217
88	Koesan	44,866
89	Nonsan	44,222
90	Munsan	43,614
91	Gijang	43,533
92	Naju	42,888
93	Santyoku	42,478
94	Yesan	39,764
95	Imsil	37,822
96	Yeoju	37,786
97	Heunghae	36,372
98	Yeonil	34,940
99	Kunwi	34,667
100	Tangjin	33,129

Other Countries from Asia Ranked by Population

Country Name	Population 2023	Population density
China	1,450,158,659	145/km²
India	1,383,820,649	417/km²
Indonesia	276,736,832	142/km²
Pakistan	231,611,059	243/km²
Bangladesh	167,903,853	1,108/km²
Japan	125,553,305	332/km²
Philippines	112,540,861	337/km²
Turkey	86,336,104	116/km²
Iran	85,971,815	49/km²
Thailand	70,176,879	136.1/km²
Myanmar	55,086,917	76/km²
South Korea	51,912,141	507/km²
Iraq	42,001,087	83/km²
Afghanistan	40,697,213	48.57/km²
Saudi Arabia	35,909,711	15/km²
Malaysia	33,170,971	98/km²
Nepal	30,151,786	180/km²
North Korea	25,807,433	213/km²
Taiwan	23,898,113	650/km²
Sri Lanka	21,815,213	337/km²