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 2025, South Korea's male population is projected to reach about ***** million, while the female population is estimated at ***** million. In the long term, South Korea's population is expected to decline, reaching about ***** million in 2072.

Total current population for South Korea in 2025 is 51,690,479, a 0.1% decline from 2024.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Total population for South Korea in 2024 was <strong>51,741,963</strong>, a <strong>0.06% increase</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>Total population for South Korea in 2023 was <strong>51,712,619</strong>, a <strong>0.08% increase</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>Total population for South Korea in 2022 was <strong>51,672,569</strong>, a <strong>0.19% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.

Demographic development in South Korea in the final decades of the 21st century saw rapid change across its society. In South Korea, the average age of the population rose from below 20 years in the late-70s to around 45 years today, and it is projected to rise to over 62 years in 2074. With one of the lowest fertility rates in the world, population aging is one of the largest challenges facing South Korea today. If these projections come true, then South Korea is on course to soon have a smaller working-age population than its combined child and elderly populations. Recent years have shown population aging to be a compounding issue that exacerbates itself - young people often become responsible for providing care for elderly relatives, straining time and financial resources and dissuading many from having their own children. The state must also invest much more money into elderly care and healthcare, often redistributing resources that were previously invested in childcare and education. Although the state (and even some private companies) are now offering financial incentives for couples to have children, it remains to be seen whether these measures will be enough to reverse years of rapid population aging and declining fertility rates.