South Korea population pyramid 2026
51,600,388 people in 2026 (projected). South Korea’s pyramid shows one of the sharpest base contractions anywhere: ages 0–4 are under a third the width of 55–59 as fertility fell below one.
- 2026 population
- 51.6Mrank 31 of 237
- Median age
- 46.2 yearsoldest rank 16
- Fertility rate
- 0.76births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Older21.4% age 65+
South Korea population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
Hover over or tap a bar to see exact values.
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
South Korea age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 9.8% of the population, while 21.4% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 68.7% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies South Korea’s age structure as older; the guide to constrictive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 45.5: about 46 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (14.3 children and 31.2 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes South Korea’s population pyramid
From one million births a year to a quarter of that
Around 1970 South Korea recorded about one million births a year; in 2023 it recorded roughly 230,000, and its total fertility rate of about 0.72 was the lowest in the world. The 2026 pyramid shows that fall in a single image. The cohorts born in 1967–76, when births were near their peak, are now aged 50–59, and 55–59 is the widest band. Each band below age 20 is narrower than the one above it, and ages 0–4 hold under a third as many people as ages 55–59. The causes most often cited are high housing and education costs, long working hours, and delayed or forgone marriage; their relative weight is still debated.
War gap and postwar boom
The Korean War of 1950–53 depressed births and raised child mortality. Those cohorts are now aged 73–76, and the step from the 65–69 band down to the 70–74 band is unusually steep. The postwar baby boom of roughly 1955–63 fills ages 63–71, so the 60–64 and 65–69 bands remain almost as wide as the peak. As these boomers move past 65 over the coming decade, the share of older people will rise faster than in almost any other country; the Japan vs South Korea comparison shows South Korea compressing into about three decades an ageing that took Japan much longer.
The 1990s sex-ratio distortion
Boys outnumber girls in every band from 15 to 39. The reported sex ratio at birth climbed to about 116 boys per 100 girls around 1990, as prenatal sex selection spread among families with a strong son preference, before returning to normal levels by the late 2000s. The cohorts born in the early 1990s are now aged 30–34, where there are about 115 men per 100 women, the most unbalanced adult band. The South Korea vs North Korea comparison shows how two populations with a shared history diverged after division.
Under the UN medium scenario South Korea falls to about 45 million people by 2050, with a median age near 57 and its widest bands at ages 65–79, as the South Korea 2050 pyramid shows.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so South Korea’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Deaths have exceeded births every year since 2019; they also did so in 1950, but births then outnumbered deaths again. People aged 65 and older came to outnumber children under 15 between 2015 and 2020.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, South Korea is projected to record 249,556 births (about 683 births a day) and 385,355 deaths, a natural decrease of 135,799. Net migration adds +62,644 people, ranking #67 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 9,823,525 births, 6,580,206 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +1,865,664. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of +746,995 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 87.5 years34.6 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 81.6 years17.5 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 21.8 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 1.9per 1,000 births · 179 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 2.5per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 33.4 yearssex ratio at birth 106.0
Women in South Korea are projected to live 5.9 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 179 to 1.9 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #224 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 33.4 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for South Korea
The median age of 46.2 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 0.76 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 84.6 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 51,600,388 | #31 | Largest first |
| Median age | 46.2 years | #16 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 0.76 | #235 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | -0.1% | #184 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 84.6 years | #5 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 21.4% | #30 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in South Korea
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55–59 | 4,378,251 | 8.5% | 2.2M / 2.2M |
| 2 | 50–54 | 4,175,623 | 8.1% | 2.1M / 2.1M |
| 3 | 60–64 | 4,058,305 | 7.9% | 2M / 2M |
| 4 | 45–49 | 3,935,814 | 7.6% | 2M / 1.9M |
| 5 | 65–69 | 3,873,272 | 7.5% | 1.9M / 2M |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, South Korea has 25,726,865 males and 25,873,523 females. That is 99.4 males per 100 females, ranking #87 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 49.9% of the population and females for 50.1%. There are 146,658 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 79.2 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 106.0 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How South Korea has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 19,757,321 in 1950 to 51,600,388 in 2026, a change of 161%. Over the same span, median age moved from 17.7 to 46.2 years.
The under-15 share changed from 42.9% to 9.8%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 2.7% to 21.4%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately. See the South Korea population pyramid in 1950 for the full starting shape.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, South Korea’s population is projected to decline by about 13%, reaching 45,143,134 in 2050. The median age changes from 46.2 to 56.7 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 18.3 percentage points to 39.7%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 7.8%. The South Korea population pyramid for 2050 shows the projected shape in detail. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest estimated population of 51,858,482 in 2020. Historical population totals are estimates rather than exact head counts. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 19,757,321 | 17.7 | 6.06 | 22.2 | 784,803 | 931,034 | +146,698 | 0.0% |
| 1960 | 26,115,379 | 18.3 | 5.99 | 53.8 | 1,098,755 | 338,650 | +47,245 | +3.1% |
| 1970 | 32,542,197 | 17.7 | 4.46 | 62.2 | 987,604 | 260,575 | −27,999 | +2.1% |
| 1980 | 38,141,106 | 20.9 | 2.73 | 64.8 | 853,589 | 278,898 | −148,341 | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 44,081,427 | 25.8 | 1.60 | 71.0 | 684,376 | 252,318 | +79,294 | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 46,766,661 | 30.7 | 1.47 | 76.2 | 599,446 | 239,373 | −84,960 | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 48,769,332 | 36.6 | 1.23 | 80.7 | 449,665 | 254,109 | +52,042 | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 51,858,482 | 42.8 | 0.81 | 83.7 | 270,034 | 317,301 | +112,631 | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 51,748,739 | 44.5 | 0.72 | 84.3 | 236,394 | 345,502 | +87,800 | -0.0% |
| 2024* | 51,717,590 | 45.0 | 0.73 | 84.4 | 240,982 | 357,948 | +75,963 | -0.1% |
| 2026* | 51,600,388 | 46.2 | 0.76 | 84.6 | 249,556 | 385,355 | +62,644 | -0.1% |
| 2030* | 51,188,584 | 48.5 | 0.81 | 85.1 | 257,973 | 437,931 | +47,022 | -0.3% |
| 2040* | 48,948,687 | 53.3 | 0.93 | 86.2 | 236,072 | 565,322 | +19,948 | -0.6% |
| 2050* | 45,143,134 | 56.7 | 1.03 | 87.3 | 211,343 | 688,851 | +15,924 | -1.0% |
| 2060* | 39,857,228 | 60.1 | 1.10 | 88.5 | 165,341 | 730,953 | +540 | -1.4% |
| 2070* | 34,452,987 | 61.5 | 1.16 | 89.6 | 162,089 | 680,471 | +3,115 | -1.5% |
| 2080* | 29,671,508 | 63.0 | 1.21 | 90.7 | 153,822 | 602,405 | +2,842 | -1.5% |
| 2090* | 25,449,094 | 61.2 | 1.26 | 91.9 | 127,145 | 527,184 | −50 | -1.6% |
| 2100* | 21,848,791 | 59.8 | 1.30 | 93.1 | 119,211 | 435,057 | −554 | -1.4% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 635,278 | 603,105 | 1,238,383 | 2.4% |
| 5–9 | 818,472 | 778,681 | 1,597,153 | 3.1% |
| 10–14 | 1,142,171 | 1,088,176 | 2,230,347 | 4.3% |
| 15–19 | 1,205,370 | 1,136,089 | 2,341,459 | 4.5% |
| 20–24 | 1,344,765 | 1,244,313 | 2,589,078 | 5.0% |
| 25–29 | 1,752,250 | 1,596,531 | 3,348,781 | 6.5% |
| 30–34 | 1,965,051 | 1,699,289 | 3,664,340 | 7.1% |
| 35–39 | 1,753,722 | 1,562,905 | 3,316,627 | 6.4% |
| 40–44 | 1,897,659 | 1,768,961 | 3,666,620 | 7.1% |
| 45–49 | 2,008,271 | 1,927,543 | 3,935,814 | 7.6% |
| 50–54 | 2,112,897 | 2,062,726 | 4,175,623 | 8.1% |
| 55–59 | 2,184,638 | 2,193,613 | 4,378,251 | 8.5% |
| 60–64 | 2,020,054 | 2,038,251 | 4,058,305 | 7.9% |
| 65–69 | 1,874,646 | 1,998,626 | 3,873,272 | 7.5% |
| 70–74 | 1,275,951 | 1,444,420 | 2,720,371 | 5.3% |
| 75–79 | 835,452 | 1,024,362 | 1,859,814 | 3.6% |
| 80–84 | 529,063 | 786,090 | 1,315,153 | 2.5% |
| 85–89 | 275,754 | 559,159 | 834,913 | 1.6% |
| 90–94 | 82,873 | 269,594 | 352,467 | 0.7% |
| 95–99 | 11,844 | 78,663 | 90,507 | 0.2% |
| 100+ | 684 | 12,428 | 13,112 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to South Korea’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Taiwan96% overlap · median age 45.4
- Andorra95% overlap · median age 44.2
- Jersey94% overlap · median age 43.9
- Bermuda94% overlap · median age 46.4
- Bosnia and Herzegovina94% overlap · median age 46.1
- Hong Kong94% overlap · median age 47.9
Compare South Korea with other countries
Side-by-side pages put two pyramids on the same percentage scale, with a full indicator table and the projected change to 2050.
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for South Korea.
Use this chart in your work
Charts and tables may be reused with attribution. Please link to this page and credit the United Nations as the data source.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). South Korea Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/south-korea/
MLA
“South Korea Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/south-korea/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “South Korea Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/south-korea/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of South Korea in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, South Korea's population in 2026 is projected at 51,600,388.
What is the median age in South Korea?
The projected median age in South Korea in 2026 is 46.2 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in South Korea?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 0.76 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is South Korea's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will decline by about 13%, from 51.6M to 45.1M.
What share of South Korea is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 21.4% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 39.7%.
How many babies are born in South Korea each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 249,556 births and 385,355 deaths in 2026, about 683 births a day. Deaths exceed births by 135,799.
What is life expectancy in South Korea for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 87.5 years for women and 81.6 years for men, a gap of 5.9 years in favour of women.
Does South Korea have more immigrants or emigrants?
South Korea is projected to gain about 62,644 more people through migration than it loses in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +1,865,664.
What is the sex ratio in South Korea?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 99.4 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.