Population
51,684,564
South KoreaWorld Bank, 2025
From 51,014,947 in 2015 to 51,684,564 in 2025.
Everyone living in the country, estimated at mid-year.
South Korea by the numbers
Official figures for South Korea. Each one shows its date, its source and the area it covers. A figure for a larger area says so.
People
Change over 5 years
-0.3%
South KoreaWorld Bank, 2020 to 2025
Change in the World Bank population figure over the five years shown, both from the same release.
Living in urban areas
81.2%
South KoreaWorld Bank, 2025
From 81.6% in 2015 to 81.2% in 2025.
Share of people living in areas the country itself defines as urban.
Life expectancy at birth
83.6years
South KoreaWorld Bank, 2024
From 82.0 years in 2015 to 83.6 years in 2024.
How long a newborn would live on average if today's death rates stayed the same.
Work and income
GDP per person
$36,227
South KoreaWorld Bank, 2025
From $30,172 in 2015 to $36,227 in 2025.
The value of what the country produces in a year, divided by its population, in current US dollars.
Unemployment rate
2.7%
South KoreaWorld Bank, 2025
From 3.6% in 2015 to 2.7% in 2025.
Share of the labour force without work and looking for work, as modelled by the International Labour Organization.
Sources
- World Bank, World Development Indicators · CC BY 4.0
Figures are shown as each source publishes them. Survey figures carry a 90% margin of error. A figure for a larger area is labelled with that area.