How does South Korea rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million?

South Korea ranks 15th out of 121 countries with data for 2025.

Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million rising or falling in South Korea?

Over the last ten years it is up 3.6%. 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 urban agglomerations of more than 1 million. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in South Korea

Name: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in South Korea
Creator: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN)
License: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)

South Korea: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million was 26.41 million in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

26.41 million

Change on year

up 0.3%

World rank

15th

of 121 countries

All-time high

26.41 million

in 2025

All-time low

5.46 million

in 1960

Years of data

1960–2025

Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in South Korea, 1960–2025

Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).

Analysis

South Korea recorded 26.41 million for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in South Korea peaked at 26.41 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 5.46 million, in 1960.

South Korea ranks 15th of 121 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.

Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in South Korea, year by year

Annual values for Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in South Korea, 1960 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1960	5.46 million	—
1961	5.78 million	+5.9%
1962	6.12 million	+5.9%
1963	6.48 million	+5.9%
1964	6.86 million	+5.9%
1965	7.27 million	+6.0%
1966	7.71 million	+6.0%
1967	8.26 million	+7.1%
1968	8.88 million	+7.5%
1969	9.55 million	+7.6%
1970	10.28 million	+7.6%
1971	10.88 million	+5.8%
1972	11.45 million	+5.2%
1973	12.05 million	+5.3%
1974	12.70 million	+5.3%
1975	13.38 million	+5.4%
1976	13.96 million	+4.4%
1977	14.52 million	+4.0%
1978	15.11 million	+4.0%
1979	15.71 million	+4.0%
1980	16.35 million	+4.0%
1981	16.93 million	+3.5%
1982	17.48 million	+3.3%
1983	18.06 million	+3.3%
1984	18.66 million	+3.3%
1985	19.28 million	+3.3%
1986	19.88 million	+3.1%
1987	20.48 million	+3.0%
1988	21.10 million	+3.0%
1989	21.75 million	+3.1%
1990	22.42 million	+3.1%
1991	22.72 million	+1.4%
1992	22.85 million	+0.5%
1993	22.98 million	+0.6%
1994	23.12 million	+0.6%
1995	23.27 million	+0.7%
1996	23.41 million	+0.6%
1997	23.55 million	+0.6%
1998	23.70 million	+0.7%
1999	23.87 million	+0.7%
2000	24.06 million	+0.8%
2001	24.18 million	+0.5%
2002	24.27 million	+0.4%
2003	24.37 million	+0.4%
2004	24.48 million	+0.4%
2005	24.60 million	+0.5%
2006	24.67 million	+0.3%
2007	24.73 million	+0.2%
2008	24.78 million	+0.2%
2009	24.84 million	+0.2%
2010	24.90 million	+0.2%
2011	25.00 million	+0.4%
2012	25.12 million	+0.5%
2013	25.25 million	+0.5%
2014	25.37 million	+0.5%
2015	25.50 million	+0.5%
2016	25.63 million	+0.5%
2017	25.76 million	+0.5%
2018	25.89 million	+0.5%
2019	25.96 million	+0.3%
2020	26.04 million	+0.3%
2021	26.11 million	+0.3%
2022	26.18 million	+0.3%
2023	26.26 million	+0.3%
2024	26.33 million	+0.3%
2025	26.41 million	+0.3%

South Korea compared with similar countries

South Korea's 26.41 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.18 million, 8.3× the median. (40 countries reporting)
South Korea's 26.41 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 12.26 million, 2.2× the median. (16 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	7.24 million	5.46 million	9.55 million	10
1970s	13.00 million	10.28 million	15.71 million	10
1980s	19.00 million	16.35 million	21.75 million	10
1990s	23.19 million	22.42 million	23.87 million	10
2000s	24.50 million	24.06 million	24.84 million	10
2010s	25.44 million	24.90 million	25.96 million	10
2020s	26.22 million	26.04 million	26.41 million	6

Countries ranked near South Korea

12 Bangladesh 30.31 million compare
13 Egypt 28.88 million compare
14 Democratic Republic of Congo 27.36 million compare
16 Colombia 23.80 million compare
17 South Africa 23.36 million compare
18 Iran 23.31 million compare

See the full ranking of 121 places →

More urban development data for South Korea

Population in the largest city 23.9% (2025)
Population density 530.24 people per sq. km of land area (2024)
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, 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)
Population in largest city 10.03 million (2025)
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 (2012)

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in South Korea?: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in South Korea was 26.41 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
What is the highest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million recorded in South Korea?: The highest recorded value was 26.41 million in 2025.
What is the lowest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million recorded in South Korea?: The lowest recorded value was 5.46 million in 1960.
How does South Korea rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million?: South Korea ranks 15th out of 121 countries with data for 2025.
Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million rising or falling in South Korea?: Over the last ten years it is up 3.6%. 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 urban agglomerations of more than 1 million. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in South Korea. Statizoid, drawing on World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Retrieved 24 October 2026, from https://urban.statizoid.com/stat/population-in-urban-agglomerations-of-more-than-1-million/korea-rep/

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About this data

Indicator: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 121 places, 7,986 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed: 15 October 2026

Population in urban agglomerations of more than one million is the country's population living in metropolitan areas that in 2018 had a population of more than one million people.