Seoul: South Korea's population saw a slight increase in 2025 despite low birth rates, primarily due to a rise in immigration, recent census data revealed. The share of foreigners in the country reached a record high, contributing to this population growth.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the total population of South Korea, Asia's fourth-largest economy, reached 51.82 million in 2025, marking a 0.02 percent increase from the previous year. However, the number of South Korean nationals experienced a decline of 0.1 percent, totaling 49.71 million and representing 95.9 percent of the population. In contrast, the foreign population increased by 3.2 percent to 2.11 million, making up a record 4.1 percent of the total population.
The data also highlighted an increase in South Korea's median age, which reached 46.8 in 2025, rising by 5.7 years from 2015. This shift reflects the country's aging demographics, with seniors aged 65 and older accounting for 20.7 percent of the population, a significant increase from 11.2 percent in 2010 and 16 percent in 2020. The working-age population, those aged 15 to 64, stood at 35.87 million, comprising 69.2 percent of the total and continuing its decline since 2018.
The census indicated that South Korea had 23.25 million households in 2025, a 1.1 percent increase from the previous year. The average household size decreased to 2.16, down from 2.53 in 2015, reflecting declining birth rates and delayed marriages. Single-person households numbered 8.24 million, making up 36.6 percent of the total, while those with four or more members accounted for 15.2 percent. In comparison, single-person households were 23.9 percent of the total in 2010, while larger households made up 30.5 percent.
The number of homes was estimated at 20.18 million in 2025, with the greater Seoul area accounting for 46.8 percent, an increase of 1.4 percentage points over a decade. This trend illustrates the movement of South Koreans towards the capital region for employment opportunities. Apartment complexes remained the most preferred housing type, representing 65.8 percent of all homes, up from 62.9 percent in 2020. Meanwhile, detached houses and multifamily houses saw a decline in their shares from 21 percent to 19 percent and 14.9 percent to 14.1 percent, respectively.
Additionally, the population in the greater Seoul area reached 26.38 million, making up 50.9 percent of the total population, up 0.7 percentage points from 2020. The number of multicultural households increased to 451,000 in 2025, marking a 2.8 percent rise from the previous year.