Population in largest city in South Korea
South Korea: Population in largest city was 10.03 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
10.03 million
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
22nd
of 153 countries
All-time high
10.55 million
in 1991
All-time low
2.36 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in largest city in South Korea, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in largest city in South Korea is 10.03 million, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in largest city in South Korea peaked at 10.55 million in 1991 and was at its lowest, 2.36 million, in 1960.
That places South Korea 22nd out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in largest city in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.36 million | — |
| 1961 | 2.55 million | +8.2% |
| 1962 | 2.75 million | +7.8% |
| 1963 | 2.97 million | +7.8% |
| 1964 | 3.20 million | +7.8% |
| 1965 | 3.45 million | +7.8% |
| 1966 | 3.72 million | +7.8% |
| 1967 | 4.06 million | +9.0% |
| 1968 | 4.44 million | +9.4% |
| 1969 | 4.86 million | +9.4% |
| 1970 | 5.31 million | +9.4% |
| 1971 | 5.63 million | +6.0% |
| 1972 | 5.90 million | +4.9% |
| 1973 | 6.19 million | +4.9% |
| 1974 | 6.49 million | +4.9% |
| 1975 | 6.81 million | +4.9% |
| 1976 | 7.09 million | +4.1% |
| 1977 | 7.36 million | +3.8% |
| 1978 | 7.64 million | +3.9% |
| 1979 | 7.94 million | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 8.24 million | +3.9% |
| 1981 | 8.48 million | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 8.69 million | +2.4% |
| 1983 | 8.90 million | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 9.11 million | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 9.33 million | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 9.56 million | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 9.79 million | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 10.03 million | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 10.27 million | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 10.52 million | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 10.55 million | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 10.48 million | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 10.40 million | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 10.33 million | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 10.26 million | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 10.18 million | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 10.10 million | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 10.03 million | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 9.95 million | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 9.88 million | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 9.85 million | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 9.84 million | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 9.84 million | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 9.83 million | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 9.82 million | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 9.82 million | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 9.81 million | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 9.81 million | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 9.80 million | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 9.80 million | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 9.81 million | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 9.83 million | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 9.85 million | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 9.87 million | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 9.90 million | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 9.92 million | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 9.94 million | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 9.96 million | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 9.96 million | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 9.96 million | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 9.97 million | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 9.98 million | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 9.99 million | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 10.00 million | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 10.03 million | +0.2% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 10.03 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.80 million, 5.6× the median. (49 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 10.03 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 6.16 million, 1.6× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.44 million | 2.36 million | 4.86 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.64 million | 5.31 million | 7.94 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.24 million | 8.24 million | 10.27 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.28 million | 9.95 million | 10.55 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.83 million | 9.80 million | 9.88 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.88 million | 9.80 million | 9.96 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.99 million | 9.96 million | 10.03 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More urban development data for South Korea
- Population in the largest city 23.9% (2025)
- Population density 529.84 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 21.89 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.511 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 26.41 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 0.2996 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 269.03 units per square kilometre (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
- Adjusted rural to urban parity index for achieving a minimum 0.9113 ratio (2012)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in largest city in South Korea?
- Population in largest city in South Korea was 10.03 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in largest city recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 10.55 million in 1991.
- What is the lowest population in largest city recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.36 million in 1960.
- How does South Korea rank for population in largest city?
- South Korea ranks 22nd out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in largest city rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population in largest city is the urban population living in the country's largest metropolitan area.