In 2024, Seoul's population amounted to around *** million, a decline from approximately *** million residents in the previous year. Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is one of the cities with the highest population densities in the world.

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.

In 2025, the total population of South Korea is projected to be around ***** million. In thirty years, the number of people aged 15 to 64 is estimated to decrease by one-third, while the number of older adults is anticipated to more than double. Additionally, the overall population is expected to decline by around *** million people by that time. Declining birth rate Several factors are contributing to the expected demographic changes in South Korea. Firstly, the birth rate has been declining for years. As of 2024, South Korea had the lowest fertility rate in the world. This trend continues despite the efforts of successive governments to encourage young people to have children. An increasing number of South Korean women are prioritizing their careers, often choosing to focus on work rather than starting a family at a young age. While the employment rate for South Korean women is still lower than that of men, it has steadily risen over the past decade. Increase in life expectancy Secondly, life expectancy in South Korea has steadily increased due to improved living standards and healthcare. The average life expectancy at birth for South Koreans has risen from less than 75 years to almost 83 years over the past twenty years. As a result, the proportion of people aged 65 and older has grown from less than ** percent to around ** percent in the last decade.

In 2023, the number of unemployed people in South Korea's capital Seoul amounted to around *******, down from about ******* the year before. The number of unemployed in Seoul has been steadily increasing in recent years, but it started to fall in 2022. Seoul's unemployment rate that year stood at around *** percent.

Demographic and clinical characteristics of the multicenter study population.

The South Korean courier service market, exhibiting a CAGR exceeding 10% since 2019, presents a robust and dynamic landscape. Driven by the expansion of e-commerce, particularly B2C transactions, and the increasing demand for efficient last-mile delivery solutions, the market is poised for continued growth. Significant players like CJ Logistics, Korea Post, and Lotte Global Logistics dominate the market, leveraging their established infrastructure and technological capabilities. However, the market is not without its challenges. Rising fuel costs and labor shortages pose potential restraints on growth, while increasing competition from smaller, more agile players necessitates continuous innovation and operational efficiency. Segmentation reveals a strong dominance of B2C models within the e-commerce segment, indicating consumer preference for online shopping and convenient home delivery. The Healthcare and Industrial Manufacturing sectors are key end-users, demonstrating the broad application of courier services beyond retail. Looking ahead, the market's success hinges on adapting to evolving consumer expectations, investing in advanced logistics technologies (e.g., automation, AI-powered route optimization), and navigating regulatory changes impacting the industry. The forecast period (2025-2033) anticipates sustained growth, fueled by technological advancements and the continuing rise of e-commerce in South Korea. The South Korean courier market's regional distribution likely mirrors the country's population density, with significant concentration in metropolitan areas like Seoul and surrounding provinces. While data for precise regional breakdowns isn't provided, it's reasonable to assume that the Seoul metropolitan area holds the largest market share, followed by other major cities and provinces. International players like FedEx and Aramex contribute to the market's competitiveness, offering global connectivity and specialized services. Future growth will be shaped by the government's policies on logistics infrastructure development and sustainable practices within the courier industry. The rising adoption of omnichannel retail strategies by businesses also presents a significant growth opportunity for courier services, as seamless delivery becomes increasingly crucial for brand loyalty. Recent developments include: January 2023: Hanjin Co., Ltd (a logistics company), expanding its Daejeon Smart Mega Hub Terminal, which is scheduled to be completed in 2023. This terminal is spread across a gross floor area of 149,110 square meters, and the company has invested more than USD 230 million in this project. In addition, this logistic center will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, to achieve a goal of a 20% share in the parcel delivery market in South Korea., November 2022: CJ Logistics (a logistics company headquartered in Seoul), partnered with Naver (South Korea's largest search engine), to launch the 'Guaranteed Delivery Date' service. This service will provide a 12 a.m. order closing service to sellers and buyers, ensuring all orders placed by midnight are dispatched the next day.. Notable trends are: Increasing Online Retail Sales Driving the Market.

According to a survey conducted in South Korea in 2023, over ** percent of respondents reported no religious affiliation, while approximately ** percent identified as Christians and ** percent as Buddhists. Religious population South Korea is a multi-religious society where Christianity, Buddhism, and various other religions coexist with shamanism. According to a previous study, the domestic religious population appeared to decline over time after reaching its peak in 2005, at nearly ** million people. In contrast, the share of people who are religiously unaffiliated has increased in recent years. Within the last two decades, the religiously unaffiliated population has increased from about ** percent to more than ** percent. Shamanism Shamanism has continued to significantly influence the daily lives of many South Koreans. According to a survey conducted in 2023, about ** percent of respondents reported having consulted a fortune-teller within the past year. Roughly ** percent of those respondents were already affiliated with a religion.

As of December 2024, the mean purchase price of housing in Seoul, South Korea, amounted to around *** million South Korean won. The average price of detached houses amounted to around **** billion won while the price of apartments was about **** billion South Korean won. Apartments in South Korea Among all housing types, apartments are the most expensive, costing more than *** billion South Korean won on average. Living in apartments is typical for Seoul, as an increasing number of citizens move towards the city, causing high population density. As of 2022, more than ** percent of all households were living in apartments, excluding alternative housing, such as officetels or goshiwons. Gangnam Style Based on the average selling price of apartments in Seoul, Gangnam is the most expensive area in Seoul to live in, with an average sales price of around **** billion South Korean won. The area became internationally known due to the viral YouTube hit Gangnam Style by South Korean artist PSY. Since Gangnam is known for its wealthy citizens, the song was inspired by their mannerisms.

In South Korea, approximately 70.69 percent of the population was between 15 and 64 years old in 2023, while those above the age of 64 made up around 18.34 percent. The youngest generation made up an even smaller percentage than the elderly, but were the only group that did not increase in size over the last decade, partly due to a decrease in births since 2007. Reasons for fewer children While it is not always the case that family sizes shrink when there are less births per woman, the fertility rate in South Korea is undisputably decreasing overall and less children are born. The reasons people cite for having fewer children vary greatly by gender and marital status in South Korea: For example, more married people than singles - and of those more married women than men - say that the difficulty of maintaining a work life balance is the largest concern for them. Meanwhile, men express more economic concerns about child support, and notably more singles nowadays say they feel no need to have children.

In 2023, around **** million inhabitants were living in urban areas in South Korea. Urban areas refer to areas used for residential, commercial, or industrial purposes. That year, about ** percent of South Korean citizens lived in urban areas.

In 2022, the average living space per person in South Korea was about ** square meters. This was the first increase in two years and a continuation of a slow general increase in living space per person.

Housing prices in South Korea Almost half of the country’s population lives in the metropolitan Seoul Capital Area, comprising the cities of Seoul and Incheon, as well as Gyeonggi Province. Accordingly, purchased apartment prices are especially high in and around Seoul. Within the capital, the popular Gangnam district ranks among the areas with the highest selling prices for apartments. South Korean home ownership Although all age groups favor home ownership, the rate of actual ownership increases with age. With increasing difficulty to finance housing in the city, as well as the country’s problem with a low fertility rate, the government responded by offering favorable loans to millennials. The goal is to incentivize younger generations to afford housing closer to their workplaces and with sufficient space to found families.

In 2024, there were around *** passenger cars per inhabitant in South Korea. This meant that there was a registered car for every two people in the country. The number of cars registered per person first hit the *** mark in 2019, and has stayed at that level for the past few years. The leading home brand Hyundai Motor Group As of 2022, the top 10 best-selling domestic car models in South Korea were from the Hyundai Motor Group (Hyundai Motor, Kia Motor, and Genesis). After Kia Motor was merged into Hyundai during the 1997 Asian financial crisis, both companies have shown strong growth. Hyundai Motor has four factories in South Korea, including its main factory in Ulsan and nine overseas factories. Domestic mobility services In South Korea, it is common to use public transportation such as buses or subways due to traffic congestion or a lack of parking spaces. In addition, the use of devices such as electric scooters or bikes has increased in recent years. Personal mobility devices (PMD) are frequently used in urban settings like Seoul, and have become a familiar presence on the street. In addition to this, the use of ride-hailing services such as Kakao T and Tada has greatly increased, offering customers further flexibility in their travels.

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, approximately 2.36 million students were enrolled in universities and junior colleges in South Korea. This figure represents a slight decline compared to the enrollment numbers from the previous year, indicating a persistent trend of decreasing student population in higher education institutions in recent years. The overall university enrollment rate stood at around 75 percent in 2024. Education in South Korea The education landscape in South Korea has been significantly influenced by the country's rapid economic growth following the Korean War (1950-1953). During this time, education became a cornerstone for societal development, and South Koreans began to view access to quality education as vital for personal and professional advancement. This emphasis on education has resulted in South Korea having the highest proportion of tertiary-educated people in the world. A degree from a prestigious university is often seen as essential, impacting further career opportunities, and even social status. Competitiveness and social pressure The pursuit of an academic degree in South Korea is largely influenced by external pressures rather than internal motivations. Students face intense competition to gain admission to prestigious universities. This competitive environment fosters a culture of rigorous study and preparation, with many students attending regular classes during the day and going to hagwons (private tutoring institutions) in the evenings and even on weekends. The alarmingly high suicide rate among young people in South Korea is an indication of the intense pressure and competition they face during their education.

In 2023, there were ****** fitness centers registered in South Korea. This was an increase from the previous year and the highest recorded number during the surveyed period. The number has increased continuously and more than doubled from about ***** thousand fitness centers in 2014. Fitness centers in South Korea The majority of the population in South Korea is based in the province of Gyeonggi or the capital city Seoul. The distribution of fitness centers across the country followed a similar trend to the concentration of the domestic population. The five regions with the most inhabitants also had the highest number of registered gyms in 2021. Fitness instructors in South Korea In South Korea, a grade two license is required in order to become a legitimate fitness trainer. With a low barrier to apply, thousands of hopefuls undertake the necessary exams to become certified bodybuilding instructors every year. A select few continue to gain the professional experience and education required for sports/exercise specialist certification.

South Korea's capital Seoul had the highest cost of living among megacities in the Asia-Pacific region in 2024, with an index score of ****. Japan's capital Tokyo followed with a cost of living index score of ****. AffordabilityIn terms of housing affordability, Chinese megacity Shanghai had the highest rent index score in 2024. Affordability has become an issue in certain megacities across the Asia-Pacific region, with accommodation proving expensive. Next to Shanghai, Japanese capital Tokyo and South Korean capital Seoul boast some of the highest rent indices in the region. Increased opportunities in megacitiesAs the biggest region in the world, it is not surprising that the Asia-Pacific region is home to 28 megacities as of January 2024, with expectations that this number will dramatically increase by 2030. The growing number of megacities in the Asia-Pacific region can be attributed to raised levels of employment and living conditions. Cities such as Tokyo, Shanghai, and Beijing have become economic and industrial hubs. Subsequently, these cities have forged a reputation as being the in-trend places to live among the younger generations. This reputation has also pushed them to become enticing to tourists, with Tokyo displaying increased numbers of tourists throughout recent years, which in turn has created more job opportunities for inhabitants. As well as Tokyo, Shanghai has benefitted from the increased tourism, and has demonstrated an increasing population. A big factor in this population increase could be due to the migration of citizens to the city, seeking better employment possibilities.

In 2023, the median household disposable income in South Korea amounted to around ***** million South Korean won, showing a steady increase over the past few years. The median disposable income of South Korean households has steadily increased over the past few years.

In 2023, South Korea's suicide rate reached **** deaths per 100,000 people, nearly double that of two decades ago. South Korea has the highest suicide rate among the member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).Mental health in South KoreaIn South Korea, mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety, along with financial hardships, have been identified as significant contributing factors leading individuals to attempt suicide. According to a survey, nearly half of the respondents reported experiencing severe stress, making it the most commonly reported type of mental health problem that year. Additionally, suicide is increasingly recognized not only as an individual health problem in South Korea but also as a complex social issue that arises, among other factors, from the country's rapid economic development. Suicide prevention In response to the escalating suicide rates, the government introduced its first suicide prevention program in 2004. Since then, several measures have been implemented to address this pressing issue. For instance, Seoul City initiated the "Bridge of Life" project on the Mapo Bridge, a well-known site for suicide attempts. The primary goal of the project was to provide comfort to individuals contemplating suicide by projecting uplifting messages and images on the bridge. In 2021, however, it was decided to remove the messages and slogans due to their limited impact. 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 24/7. If you live in South Korea, you can call the suicide prevention hotline ***.

In 2023, the rate of sexual assaults in South Korea was **** crimes per 100,000 people. This was an increase compared to the previous year.