Urban population in South Korea in 2025 — 41,954,442 people. Ranked 23 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 505.9%.
1960–2025 · people
How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: South Korea
| Year | people | Change | Change, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 41.95M | −50,993 | −0.12% |
| 2024 | 42.01M | +33,118 | +0.08% |
| 2023 | 41.97M | +33,571 | +0.08% |
| 2022 | 41.94M | −78,267 | −0.19% |
| 2021 | 42.02M | −61,551 | −0.15% |
| 2020 | 42.08M | −1,115 | −0% |
| 2019 | 42.08M | +98,545 | +0.23% |
| 2018 | 41.98M | +136,056 | +0.33% |
| 2017 | 41.85M | +73,925 | +0.18% |
| 2016 | 41.77M | +122,811 | +0.29% |
| 2015 | 41.65M | +172,302 | +0.42% |
| 2014 | 41.48M | +211,621 | +0.51% |
| 2013 | 41.26M | +146,327 | +0.36% |
| 2012 | 41.12M | +189,254 | +0.46% |
| 2011 | 40.93M | +310,072 | +0.76% |
| 2010 | 40.62M | +223,566 | +0.55% |
| 2009 | 40.4M | +251,239 | +0.63% |
| 2008 | 40.14M | +363,525 | +0.91% |
| 2007 | 39.78M | +271,035 | +0.69% |
| 2006 | 39.51M | +291,922 | +0.74% |
| 2005 | 39.22M | +220,447 | +0.57% |
| 2004 | 39M | +344,189 | +0.89% |
| 2003 | 38.65M | +405,255 | +1.06% |
| 2002 | 38.25M | +408,883 | +1.08% |
| 2001 | 37.84M | +429,669 | +1.15% |
| 2000 | 37.41M | +412,951 | +1.12% |
| 1999 | 37M | +345,859 | +0.94% |
| 1998 | 36.65M | +350,665 | +0.97% |
| 1997 | 36.3M | +448,504 | +1.25% |
| 1996 | 35.85M | +497,955 | +1.41% |
| 1995 | 35.35M | +595,840 | +1.71% |
| 1994 | 34.76M | +679,542 | +1.99% |
| 1993 | 34.08M | +743,493 | +2.23% |
| 1992 | 33.33M | +792,915 | +2.44% |
| 1991 | 32.54M | +824,423 | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 31.72M | +955,753 | +3.11% |
| 1989 | 30.76M | +1.09M | +3.68% |
| 1988 | 29.67M | +1.13M | +3.97% |
| 1987 | 28.54M | +1.1M | +4% |
| 1986 | 27.44M | +998,677 | +3.78% |
| 1985 | 26.44M | +924,062 | +3.62% |
| 1984 | 25.52M | +953,568 | +3.88% |
| 1983 | 24.56M | +986,195 | +4.18% |
| 1982 | 23.58M | +987,554 | +4.37% |
| 1981 | 22.59M | +989,624 | +4.58% |
| 1980 | 21.6M | +993,356 | +4.82% |
| 1979 | 20.61M | +976,834 | +4.98% |
| 1978 | 19.63M | +948,768 | +5.08% |
| 1977 | 18.68M | +908,812 | +5.11% |
| 1976 | 17.77M | +848,178 | +5.01% |
| 1975 | 16.92M | +788,079 | +4.88% |
| 1974 | 16.14M | +738,490 | +4.8% |
| 1973 | 15.4M | +724,881 | +4.94% |
| 1972 | 14.67M | +746,715 | +5.36% |
| 1971 | 13.93M | +800,314 | +6.1% |
| 1970 | 13.12M | +913,984 | +7.49% |
| 1969 | 12.21M | +944,546 | +8.38% |
| 1968 | 11.27M | +853,321 | +8.19% |
| 1967 | 10.41M | +668,724 | +6.86% |
| 1966 | 9.74M | +569,159 | +6.2% |
| 1965 | 9.18M | +512,156 | +5.91% |
| 1964 | 8.66M | +468,576 | +5.72% |
| 1963 | 8.19M | +443,611 | +5.72% |
| 1962 | 7.75M | +420,686 | +5.74% |
| 1961 | 7.33M | +405,121 | +5.85% |
| 1960 | 6.92M | — | — |
The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages
China
933M
Japan
114M
South Korea
41.95M
North Korea
17.06M
Hong Kong
7.5M
Mongolia
2.54M
Macao
685,900
The population living in urban settlements, by national definitions of urban areas. The indicator complements the urban population share: a country with a modest urbanization percentage can hold one of the largest urban populations in the world simply because of its overall size.
Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.
What part of a country's residents lives in cities — the level of urbanization.
Environment Population in cities over 1 millionHow many people live in urban agglomerations larger than a million.
Environment Population living in slumsWhat share of the urban population lives in slums under the UN definition.
Demography PopulationResident population of every country as of mid-year — series from 1960 onward.