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South Korea population, 1950 to 2100

South Korea peaked at about 51.9 million people in 2020. The UN projects 45.1 million by 2050 and just 21.9 million by 2100.

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What the data shows

  • South Korea: 19.8M in 1950, 21.9M in 2100 (projected). The latest estimate is 51.8M in 2023. It peaked at 51.9M in 2020.

About this chart

South Korea went from about 19.8 million people in 1950 to 35.9 million in 1975, 46.8 million in 2000 and a peak of roughly 51.9 million in 2020. The UN's latest estimate for 2023 is about 51.7 million, so the country is already a little past its high point and the line has started to bend downward.

The projection that follows is one of the steepest declines on any population chart: about 51.2 million in 2030, 45.1 million in 2050, 32.0 million in 2075 and 21.9 million in 2100. South Korea's world rank falls from 23rd in 1950 to 29th in 2023, then a projected 47th in 2050 and 72nd in 2100. Figures are from UN World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant after 2023.

The data

Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024 via Our World in Data; estimates to 2023, medium-variant projections after, millions. Retrieved November 4, 2026.

South Korea's population, Millions of people, 1950 to 2100 (UN projections), 1950–2100
Date🇰🇷 South Korea
195019.8M
195119.9M
195220.2M
195320.8M
195421.4M
195522.1M
195622.9M
195723.7M
195824.5M
195925.3M
196026.1M
196126.9M
196227.5M
196328.2M
196428.7M
196529.3M
196629.9M
196730.5M
196831.2M
196931.9M
197032.5M
197133.2M
197233.9M
197334.6M
197435.3M
197535.9M
197636.4M
197736.8M
197837.3M
197937.7M
198038.1M
198138.7M
198239.4M
198340.0M
198440.6M
198541.2M
198641.7M
198742.3M
198842.9M
198943.5M
199044.1M
199144.4M
199244.7M
199344.9M
199445.1M
199545.4M
199645.6M
199745.9M
199846.2M
199946.5M
200046.8M
200147.0M
200247.3M
200347.5M
200447.7M
200547.9M
200648.0M
200748.2M
200848.4M
200948.6M
201048.8M
201149.1M
201249.6M
201350.1M
201450.5M
201551.0M
201651.3M
201751.5M
201851.6M
201951.8M
202051.9M
202151.9M
202251.8M
202351.8M
202451.7M
202551.7M
202651.6M
202751.5M
202851.4M
202951.3M
203051.2M
203151.1M
203250.9M
203350.7M
203450.5M
203550.3M
203650.1M
203749.8M
203849.5M
203949.3M
204049.0M
204148.6M
204248.3M
204348.0M
204447.6M
204547.2M
204646.9M
204746.5M
204846.0M
204945.6M
205045.1M
205144.7M
205244.2M
205343.7M
205443.2M
205542.6M
205642.1M
205741.6M
205841.0M
205940.4M
206039.9M
206139.3M
206238.7M
206338.2M
206437.6M
206537.1M
206636.6M
206736.0M
206835.5M
206935.0M
207034.5M
207133.9M
207233.4M
207332.9M
207432.5M
207532.0M
207631.5M
207731.0M
207830.6M
207930.1M
208029.7M
208129.2M
208228.8M
208328.4M
208427.9M
208527.5M
208627.1M
208726.7M
208826.3M
208925.9M
209025.5M
209125.1M
209224.7M
209324.3M
209423.9M
209523.5M
209623.2M
209722.8M
209822.5M
209922.2M
210021.9M

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Frequently asked questions

What is the population of South Korea?

South Korea's population was about 51.7 million in 2023, the latest UN estimate. That ranked it 29th in the world. Years after 2023 are projections.

Is South Korea's population shrinking?

Slightly so far: it peaked at about 51.9 million in 2020 and was about 51.7 million in 2023. The UN projects a much faster fall, to about 45.1 million in 2050 and about 21.9 million in 2100, in its medium scenario.

Where does this data come from?

UN World Population Prospects 2024 via Our World in Data; estimates to 2023, medium-variant projections after, millions. Retrieved November 4, 2026. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

Can I turn this chart into a video?

Yes. Open it in the editor, change the title, theme, colors or format (9:16 for Reels and TikTok, 16:9 for YouTube), and export an MP4. Free exports are 720p with a small watermark; Pro ($11.99/month) removes it and adds 1080p, 4K and 60 fps.

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