In 2023, the total number of people who emigrated from South Korea amounted to around *************. More than *** million lived in the United States, followed by China with around *** million.

In 2024, approximately 958,959 Chinese (including those of Korean descent) resided in South Korea, the largest group of foreign nationals. This was followed by citizens from Vietnam, with around 305,936 people.

In 2024, Seoul had the highest population density of all provinces in South Korea, with about ****** people per square kilometer. The port city of Busan, which lies 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, followed with about ***** residents per square kilometer. With 90 people per square kilometer, Gangwon was the province with the lowest population density. Population of Seoul The capital of South Korea, Seoul, is the country's largest city with a population of nearly 9.5 million people, meaning that about 20 percent of South Korea's total population live in Seoul. Together with the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and Incheon Metropolitan Area, the greater Seoul region (or Seoul Capital Area) is home to half of the total population of South Korea. This region also forms one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. Solving the problem of overpopulation in Seoul One of the major problems stemming from overpopulation in Seoul is the housing shortage, leading to a significant surge in real estate prices. Over the past few years, several efforts have been made to curb the excessive population concentration and to solve the associated economic and social problems. In 2007, for example, former President Roh Moo-hyun attempted to move the country's administrative capital to Sejong, which is located 120 kilometers south of Seoul. Although the grand plan did not fully work out, around 40 central administrative agencies have since been moved from Seoul to Sejong, turning the city into the de facto administrative capital of South Korea.

In 2024, around 24.65 million people used Facebook in South Korea. The number of Facebook users is expected to increase to around 25.47 million users in 2029, according to the forecast. Facebook is among the five leading social media services in South Korea, with more than half of the population using it. Who uses Facebook in South Korea? According to data collected on the age and gender distribution of Facebook users, 16.5 percent of all South Korean Facebook users were women between 25 and 34 years old. With male users that age making up another 15.3 percent of users, this age group had the overall highest Facebook user share. The same was also true for Facebook Messenger. However, while men of that age group had the highest user share of Facebook Messenger, many female users were 18 to 24 years old. Social media usage behavior Socializing with others was the most common reason for using social networks among South Koreans, followed by checking out posts or content created by others. According to a survey conducted in 2020, the weekly average usage time of social media amounted to 65.8 minutes, while more than 18 percent spent over two hours per week on social media. Many people, especially teenagers, use social media mostly via smartphone. This has possibly contributed to the growing risk of smartphone overdependence in South Korea.

In 1890, the average person born in the area of present-day North Korea could expect to live to 26 years old, a rate which would see only marginal change until the annexation of the Korean peninsula by the Empire of Japan in 1910. As Japanese large scale industrialization and modernization reforms would begin in the peninsula (building on the Gwangmu reforms of the previous administration), life expectancy would begin to increase rapidly as standards of living rose across the region. As a result, life expectancy would rise by twenty years between 1920 and 1940, however this growth would slow during the 1940s, as Korea lost approximately half a million people (or 2% of its population) during the Second World War. Following the war, the peninsula was split into two separate states, with the north and south each administered by the Soviet Union and the U.S. respectively (although both militaries had largely left the peninsula within a few years). In 1950, as tensions grew between the two governments regarding the legitimate rulers of the peninsula, North Korea invaded the South and set in motion the Korean War. The war would last for three years, and result in the deaths of approximately three million Koreans (with the North suffering heavier losses than the South); this caused the life expectancy in North Korea to plummet from over 49 years to less than 38 years in the first half of the 1950s.

Life expectancy in North Korea would quickly recover in the post-war years, as the Soviet Union would provide significant economic aid to the country. As a result, life expectancy would return to pre-war levels by the end of the decade and resume its steady rise until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. After peaking at 70 years in the early 1990s, it is estimated that life expectancy fell by nearly seven years in the early 1990s as the country would face extreme medical and food shortages following the end of Soviet aid. U.S. estimates put the death toll of these famines at more than half a million people in the 1990s. In the past two decades, life expectancy has slowly increased once more in North Korea, returning to pre-famine levels once more in 2015, and it is now estimated that the life expectancy from birth in North Korea in 2020 is approximately 72 years old.

As of May 2024, Baedal Minjok, also known as Baemin, was not only the most downloaded food delivery app in South Korea, it also had the most users, with around ***** million South Korean users. Acquisition of Woowa BrothersSouth Korea-based Woowa Brothers was founded in 2011 and is mostly known for being the company behind Baedal Minjok. In December 2019, Berlin-based company Delivery Hero announced they bought ** percent of share of Woowa Brothers for around four billion South Korean won. Delivery Hero is active in the food delivery sector worldwide and already owned Yogiyo, the second most popular food delivery application in South Korea. Consumer behaviorSouth Koreans are known to regularly dine out or to have food delivered. Out of people who order food delivery, an increasing number of customers order mainly via smart phone applications. In 2023, one-in-two South Koreans ordered delivery food via mobile app several times per month. One of the most popular items is fast food, like fried chicken. The large majority of respondents of over ** percent to a survey about delivery expenditure stated that they spend up to 100 thousand South Korean won on delivery food per month on average.

According to a survey conducted in South Korea in 2019 among South Koreans who had traveled abroad, older people were more likely to travel in larger groups of people, with people 70 years and older traveling in the largest groups on average, making up approximately ***** people on average. People in their twenties and thirties travelled in groups of ***** people or less on average.

In 2024, the largest age group in Seoul, South Korea's capital, was those aged 25 to 29, totaling approximately ******* individuals. Seoul is home to about ** percent of the total population

In 2022, the total health expenditure in South Korea accounted for approximately 9.7 percent of South Korea's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This was a slight increase from the previous year's share, making it the highest share in the past decade. Overall, this share indicates that as the GDP grew, health spending grew at an even faster rate. Korea's GDP per capita was estimated to have dropped to around 32.3 thousand U.S. dollars in 2022, an increase from around 19 thousand dollars in 2009. Meanwhile, overall medical expenditure in 2021 increased by around 7.5 percent compared to the previous year, up to around 93.5 trillion South Korean won. Nearly 60 percent of the costs were covered by the government or the public health insurance system.

Higher health spending is still insufficient

Even though the country has been an OECD member since 1996, health spending as a share of the GDP stayed below the OECD average of 8.8 percent until 2021. Similarly, the government’s health expenses lay at around 60 percent, showing a slight increase from the previous year, but this was still lower than the OECD average of almost 74 percent. The increased expenditure was largely attributed to the introduction of what is dubbed “Moon Jae-In Care”, named after the former Korean president, much like the American Affordable Care Act is colloquially known as “Obamacare”. In short, the government will provide greatly expanded coverage for medical treatments and care, increasing the reimbursement rate of the public health insurance, along with other measures. In addition, the Korean population as a whole is rapidly aging, and more people than before are being hospitalized and receiving examinations. Koreans already see doctors far more frequently than any other OECD nationals.

Strains on health spending and insurance

The Korean national public health insurance system enjoyed seven years of surplus revenue since 2011 but fell into the red in 2018. As noted above, Moon Jae-In Care and the aging population are largely responsible. The years’ worth of revenue is projected to run out in the coming years. Foreigners who come to Korea as medical tourists make things worse, with an all-time high of over 497 thousand medical tourists visiting Korea in 2019, though this has dropped off since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic began.

As of August 28, 2023, South Koreans in their twenties had the highest coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination rate in South Korea for the initial two shots, at 99.8 percent and 98.9 percent respectively. All adult age groups reported very high vaccination rates. Winter booster shot rates however were much lower across all age groups, though older age groups were more likely to have gotten them. Only around 13 percent of people nationwide have been vaccinated with a bivalent winter booster, which is more effective against current dominant strains. These shots were only offered in the winter of 2022.

For further information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, please visit our dedicated Facts and Figures page.

Cancer remained the leading cause of death in South Korea in 2023, with the rate of deaths resulting from malignant neoplasms standing at ***** per 100,000 inhabitants. While various health conditions were common causes of death, suicide was a stand-out. Improvements in cancer treatments The five-year survival rate for cancer patients in South Korea reached **** percent in 2022, a substantial increase from 1996. This improvement comes with medical advancements concerning both treatment and diagnostics. Simultaneously, more and more South Koreans have elected to undergo cancer screenings, which helps with preventative treatments as well as early diagnosis and intervention. However, such advancements did not happen evenly, but rather still depend heavily on the type of cancer. Thyroid cancer patients had the highest five-year relative survival rate in 2022, while pancreatic cancer patients faced the lowest at only **** percent. High suicide rates Suicide remains a significant issue in South Korea, particularly among the elderly. The suicide rate in 2023 was highest among those aged 80 years and older, at **** deaths per 100,000 population. Poverty among senior citizens was a major contributing factor, while mental and physical illness were other common reasons among the general population. Despite this, it was among the younger population that suicide was the leading cause of death in 2023. While there have been both private and public initiatives surrounding mental health and suicide, as well as the attached stigma, South Korea still has one of the highest suicide rates worldwide.

In 2023, the suicide rate in South Korea was particularly high among the elderly population over the age of **, with **** deaths per 100,000 population. The overall suicide rate among people aged 10 to 79 years increased compared to the previous year. Suicide was the leading cause of death among people aged 10 to 39 years. Suicide among the elderlySouth Korea has the highest suicide rate in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). One driving factor for suicide among the elderly is poverty. Almost half of the senior citizens in the country live with less than half the median disposable income. Many do not want to become a financial burden for their families and end up committing suicide as a result of not being able to support themselves.Suicide prevention Since the South Korean government implemented its initial suicide prevention program in 2004, numerous measures have been put in place to address the alarmingly high suicide rate. However, these efforts have not been very successful. Despite an increase in the annual budget for suicide prevention, it still remains significantly lower compared to international standards. If you are having suicidal thoughts, or you know someone who is, it is essential to seek help. Many countries have suicide crisis or prevention lines that offer free advice and support in such situations. If you live in the United States, you can reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by simply calling *** to receive free and confidential support ****. If you live in South Korea you can call the suicide prevention hotline ***.