Last year, the proportion of South Koreans aged 65 and older surpassed 20% for the first time. Meanwhile, the share of the working-age population, aged 15 to 64, fell below 70%, highlighting the ongoing demographic shifts due to low birth rates and aging.
According to the National Data Agency's report on the '2025 Population and Housing Census' released on July 28, the total population as of November 1 last year was 51,817,000, an increase of 12,000 (0.02%) from the previous year. After two consecutive years of decline starting in 2021, the total population has now increased for three years.
Two Elderly for Every Youth... Regional Disparity of 19 Times
By age group, the elderly population reached 10,723,000, an increase of 601,000 (5.9%) from the previous year. Their share of the total population rose from 19.5% in 2024 to 20.7% last year, marking the first time it exceeded 20%.
In contrast, the working-age population decreased by 393,000 (-1.1%) to 35,870,000. Their share of the total population also dropped from 70.0% to 69.2%. The working-age population has been on the decline since peaking in 2018.
The youth population, aged 0 to 14, fell to 5,225,000, a decrease of 196,000 (-3.6%). The youth share of the population declined from 10.5% to 10.1%. The aging index, which indicates the number of elderly per 100 youths, rose from 186.7 to 205.2, surpassing 200 for the first time.
The old-age dependency ratio, which indicates the number of elderly per 100 working-age individuals, increased from 27.9 to 29.9. The median age of the population, representing the age of the person in the middle of the age distribution, rose by 0.6 years to 46.8.
There were significant regional disparities in aging. Jeollanam-do had the highest proportion of elderly at 27.3%, while Sejong had the lowest at 11.8%. Among the 17 cities and provinces nationwide, 10 areas, including Seoul, Busan, and Daegu, had elderly populations exceeding 20%.
Of the 229 cities, counties, and districts across the country, 224 had more elderly than youth, an increase of eight from the previous year. The aging index was highest in Gunwi County, Daegu, at 1,385.5, while Sejong City had the lowest at 69.8, resulting in a regional disparity of nearly 19 times.
Foreigners Drive Population Growth... Working-Age Share at 89.3%
The overall population increase was primarily driven by foreigners. The number of South Koreans decreased by 54,000 (-0.1%) to 49,708,000, while the foreign population rose by 66,000 (3.2%) to 2,109,000. Foreigners now make up 4.1% of the total population.
The share of foreigners in the working-age population is 89.3%, significantly higher than the 68.4% for South Koreans. Kyung Eun-sook, head of the Population Census Division at the National Data Agency, stated, “Foreigners are filling significant gaps in non-professional and seasonal labor.”
Among the increase in foreigners, the number of international students rose by approximately 36,000, the largest increase. Seasonal workers increased by 22,000, and those on specific work visas rose by 18,000. The influx of foreign students to local universities and the expansion of seasonal labor in rural areas have contributed to population growth.
Single-Person Households Reach Record 36.6%... Homes Over 30 Years Old Exceed 30%
While the population growth was modest, the number of households increased rapidly. Last year, the total number of households reached 23,246,000, an increase of 249,000 (1.1%) from the previous year. General households rose by 0.9% to 22,495,000, while group and foreign households increased by 6.9% to 751,000.
Single-person households reached 8,244,000, an increase of 199,000 (2.5%) from the previous year. Their share of general households rose to 36.6%, continuing an upward trend from 35.5% in 2023 and 36.1% in 2024. Combined, one- and two-person households accounted for 66.1% of all general households, totaling 14,868,000.
In contrast, households with four or more members decreased by 16,300 (-4.6%) to 3,408,000. The average household size fell to 2.16 members, down 0.03 from the previous year and 0.18 from 2020. While four-member households were the most common in 2000, single-person households have held the largest share since 2015.
Last year, the total number of housing units reached 2,018,100, an increase of 309,000 (1.6%) from the previous year. Apartments accounted for 1,328,900 units, a rise of 315,000 (2.4%), making up 65.8% of all housing. Single-family homes decreased by 12,000 to 3,830,000.
However, the rate of housing growth slowed by 0.1 percentage points compared to the previous year. Kyung noted, “Typically, it takes about three to four years from the start of construction to occupancy, and the recent slowdown in construction rates has affected the housing growth rate.”
The aging of housing has also intensified. Homes built over 20 years ago now account for 56.0% of the total, while those over 30 years old make up 30.6%. The share of homes over 30 years old is 60.3% for single-family homes and 22.2% for apartments. Regionally, Jeollanam-do had the highest percentage at 45.6%, followed by Jeollabuk-do at 40.5% and Gyeongsangbuk-do at 40.4%.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.