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.

The statistic shows the total population in Japan from 2020 to 2024, with projections up until 2030. In 2024, the total population of Japan amounted to around 123.9 million inhabitants. See the figures for the population of South Korea for comparison. Total population in Japan From steadily low fertility rates to a growing elderly population, it is no secret that Japan’s population is shrinking. Population growth rates jump around a little, but are currently following a declining trend. The post-war baby boom generation is now in the 65-and-over age group, and the percentage of the population in that category is expected to keep growing, as is indicated by a high median age and high life expectancy. Japan already has the highest percentage of its population over 65 in the world, and the aging population puts some pressure on the Japanese government to provide welfare services for more people as rising numbers leave the workforce. However, the amount of jobs opened up for the younger generations by the older generations leaving the workforce means that unemployment is kept to a minimum. Despite a jump in unemployment after the global recession hit in 2008, rates were almost back to pre-recession rates by 2013. Another factor affecting Japan is the number of emigrants to other countries. The United States absorbs a number of emigrants worldwide, so despite a stagnating birth rate, the U.S. has seen a steady rise in population.

In 2024, the youth in South Korea made up about 7.8 million of the total population. This shows a sharp decline since 1980, where the youth population stood at 14 million. It is projected that the youth population will continue to decline, and this group will only represent 4.1 million people of the total population in 2060.

The global population of Buddhists is projected to slightly increase up until the year 2030, at which point it will begin a gradual decline. In terms of its share of total world population, however, Buddhism has already seen a decline from over seven percent in 2010, with this being projected to decline further to close to five percent in 2050. This decline is related to Buddhism being popular in countries whose populations are in a natural decline, such as Japan or South Korea (and Thailand in the near future), as well as demographic developments in countries that have a policy of state atheism, such as China or Vietnam.While this decline in its traditional regions of influence in East and Southeast Asia will cause an aggregate fall in the number of Buddhists, there is likely to be some growth in other regions of the globe, such as Western European and North American countries, where the popularity of the ideas of Buddhism have grown in influence in recent decades.