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.

Korea Population: Mid Year: Seoul Metropolitan City: Female data was reported at 5,027.220 Person th in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5,053.827 Person th for 2016. Korea Population: Mid Year: Seoul Metropolitan City: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 5,098.404 Person th from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2017, with 48 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,435.229 Person th in 1992 and a record low of 2,821.785 Person th in 1970. Korea Population: Mid Year: Seoul Metropolitan City: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Korea. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Korea – Table KR.G002: Population: Mid Year.

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Seongnam, South Korea metro area from 1950 to 2025.

In 2023, the population density in South Korea stood at around *** inhabitants per square kilometer, slightly up from *** in the previous year. The nationwide population density has been increasing steadily over the past decades. The highest density was in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, with ****** people per square kilometer. UrbanizationSouth Korea was primarily an agricultural nation. In the decades following its independence from Japanese rule in 1945, both the dictatorships and democratic governments that governed South Korea focused on industrialization and modernization of the country. The urban population has grown by about **** million over the past 20 years, while the rural population has fallen by around *** million. In 2023, around ** percent of the population lived in an urban area. The most populous city SeoulSeoul’s high population density is not surprising. The capital city is typically grouped with the province of Gyeonggi, which resembles a donut with Seoul at its center, and the metropolitan port city of Incheon, collectively known as the Seoul Capital Area. This is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world and serves as the political, economic, and cultural center of South Korea. With more than **** millio* residents, half of South Korea’s population lives in this area.

Korea Population: Mid Year: Seoul Metropolitan City data was reported at 9,857.426 Person th in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 9,930.616 Person th for 2016. Korea Population: Mid Year: Seoul Metropolitan City data is updated yearly, averaging 10,157.226 Person th from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2017, with 48 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10,935.230 Person th in 1992 and a record low of 5,685.932 Person th in 1970. Korea Population: Mid Year: Seoul Metropolitan City data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Korea. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Korea – Table KR.G002: Population: Mid Year.

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Suweon, South Korea metro area from 1950 to 2025.

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Anyang, South Korea metro area from 1950 to 2025.

In 2024, the population of Gyeonggi Province in South Korea stood at around **** million. Seoul followed with about *** million inhabitants. The total population of South Korea stood at around **** million that year.

Korea Population: Mid Year: Seoul Metropolitan City: Male data was reported at 4,830.206 Person th in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4,876.789 Person th for 2016. Korea Population: Mid Year: Seoul Metropolitan City: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 5,050.302 Person th from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2017, with 48 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,500.001 Person th in 1992 and a record low of 2,864.147 Person th in 1970. Korea Population: Mid Year: Seoul Metropolitan City: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Korea. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Korea – Table KR.G002: Population: Mid Year.

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Daegu, South Korea metro area from 1950 to 2025.

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Changwon, South Korea metro area from 1950 to 2025.

Korea Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data was reported at 23.700 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 23.731 % for 2016. Korea Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data is updated yearly, averaging 33.712 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 40.511 % in 1971 and a record low of 23.700 % in 2017. Korea Population in Largest City: as % of Urban Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.; ; United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects.; Weighted average;

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Wonsan, North Korea metro area from 1950 to 2025.

Korea Population: Mid Year: Foreign: Taegu Metropolitan City data was reported at 26.493 Person th in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 26.141 Person th for 2015. Korea Population: Mid Year: Foreign: Taegu Metropolitan City data is updated yearly, averaging 15.026 Person th from Dec 1992 (Median) to 2016, with 25 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 26.493 Person th in 2016 and a record low of 2.114 Person th in 1992. Korea Population: Mid Year: Foreign: Taegu Metropolitan City data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Korea. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Korea – Table KR.G002: Population: Mid Year.

Korea Population: Mid Year: Ulsan Metropolitan City data was reported at 1,165.132 Person th in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,172.304 Person th for 2016. Korea Population: Mid Year: Ulsan Metropolitan City data is updated yearly, averaging 921.867 Person th from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2017, with 48 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,173.534 Person th in 2015 and a record low of 282.596 Person th in 1970. Korea Population: Mid Year: Ulsan Metropolitan City data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Korea. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Korea – Table KR.G002: Population: Mid Year.

Korea Population: Mid Year: Pusan Metropolitan City data was reported at 3,470.653 Person th in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3,498.529 Person th for 2016. Korea Population: Mid Year: Pusan Metropolitan City data is updated yearly, averaging 3,574.048 Person th from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2017, with 48 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,883.880 Person th in 1995 and a record low of 2,045.828 Person th in 1970. Korea Population: Mid Year: Pusan Metropolitan City data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Korea. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.G002: Population: Mid Year.

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Pyongyang, North Korea metro area from 1950 to 2025.

The Gwangjin-gu, Seoul Metropolitan City, Unclaimed Death Statistics data provides statistics on unclaimed deaths in Gwangjin-gu, categorized by age and gender. Key data include age group, male, female, and total. Age groups are broken down by 10-year increments, with categories ranging from 10 to 70 years and over, as well as unknown, allowing for analysis of the age distribution of the deceased. The male and female columns indicate the number of unclaimed deaths by gender, while the total provides the total number of deaths. This data serves as a valuable reference for administrative decision-making, such as addressing social isolation, developing welfare policies, and developing support measures for the elderly and vulnerable. Furthermore, it can be utilized in various fields, such as analyzing trends in the increase in unclaimed deaths due to population aging, identifying blind spots in social welfare services, and developing plans to expand regional welfare infrastructure. It is highly valuable as public data for policy research and solving social problems.

Korea Population: Mid Year: Foreign: Pusan Metropolitan City data was reported at 41.840 Person th in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 39.991 Person th for 2015. Korea Population: Mid Year: Foreign: Pusan Metropolitan City data is updated yearly, averaging 19.547 Person th from Dec 1992 (Median) to 2016, with 25 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 41.840 Person th in 2016 and a record low of 4.889 Person th in 1992. Korea Population: Mid Year: Foreign: Pusan Metropolitan City data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Korea. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Korea – Table KR.G002: Population: Mid Year.

In 2023, the population of Jeonnam (South Jeolla Province), South Korea amounted to around **** million, slightly up from about **** million in the previous year. The population decreased substantially between 1985 and 1990 because Gwangju Metropolitan City was separated from Jeonnam in 1986.