Recorded 2020 peak compared with the official 2072 projection; M people.
South Korea’s population peaked at 51.83 million in 2020. The official projection places the population at 36.22 million by 2072. That would be a decline of 15.61 million, or about 30.1%, from the peak. The source also records approximately 120,000 more deaths than births in 2024, the fifth consecutive year of natural decrease.
| Rank | Entry | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2020 peak | 51.83M | 2020 |
| 2 | 2072 projection | 36.22M | 2072 |
Source 1: Population estimates and projections
Publisher: Statistics Korea
Dataset/table: Korea population statistics
Evidence: Supports the 2020 peak of 51.83 million, the 2072 projection of 36.22 million and the 2024 natural decrease.
The 2072 value is a projection and depends on fertility, mortality and migration assumptions.
The peak is the recorded 2020 population; the 2072 figure is the official national projection.
Both values are from the national statistics office; the projection is clearly a forward-looking figure.
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