South Korea’s population growth has undergone significant changes over the past several decades. Following the Korean War, the country experienced rapid population growth, fueled by high birth rates and improvements in healthcare. However, since the 1980s, South Korea’s population growth rate has sharply declined due to factors such as urbanization, increased educational attainment, and changing social values leading to delayed marriage and lower fertility rates. In recent years, the country’s fertility rate has fallen to one of the lowest in the world, resulting in a shrinking and rapidly aging population. As of the early 2020s, South Korea’s population has begun to decrease, raising concerns about future economic and social challenges related to workforce shortages and the care of an elderly population.
| Year | Population | Population Density Per Square KM |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 20,845,771 | 215.1 |
| 1955 | 21,551,834 | 222.4 |
| 1960 | 24,784,140 | 255.7 |
| 1965 | 28,705,000 | 296.2 |
| 1970 | 32,241,000 | 332.7 |
| 1975 | 35,281,000 | 364 |
| 1980 | 38,124,000 | 393.4 |
| 1985 | 40,806,000 | 421 |
| 1990 | 42,869,000 | 442.3 |
| 1995 | 45,105,079 | 465.4 |
| 2000 | 46,840,607 | 483.3 |
| 2005 | 47,988,429 | 495.1 |
| 2010 | 49,258,140 | 508.2 |
| 2015 | 50,646,419 | 522.6 |
| 2020 | 51,577,174 | 532.2 |
| 2022 | 51,844,834 | 534.9 |
| 2023 | 51,966,948 | 536.2 |
| 2024 | 52,081,799 | 537.4 |
| 2025 | 52,189,955 | 538.5 |
| 2030 | 52,578,760 | 542.5 |
| 2035 | 52,598,115 | 542.7 |
| 2040 | 52,189,080 | 538.5 |
| 2045 | 51,396,446 | 530.3 |
| 2050 | 50,217,135 | 518.1 |
| 2055 | 48,686,856 | 502.3 |
| 2060 | 46,946,992 | 484.4 |
| 2065 | 45,099,740 | 465.3 |
| 2070 | 43,195,563 | 445.7 |
| 2075 | 41,273,432 | 425.9 |
| 2080 | 39,382,043 | 406.3 |
| 2085 | 37,533,529 | 387.3 |
| 2090 | 35,771,529 | 369.1 |
| 2095 | 34,106,148 | 351.9 |
| 2100 | 32,579,712 | 336.2 |
Data from US Census International Database