South Korea Sees Population Increase for Second Straight Year
(MENAFN) South Korea experienced a slight population increase for the second year in a row in 2024, official figures revealed Tuesday, even as the nation continues to grapple with serious demographic hurdles.
According to a local news agency, citing data from Statistics Korea, the country’s population reached 51.81 million as of November 1, marking a 0.1% rise—or approximately 30,000 more people—compared to the previous year.
This small gain follows two consecutive years of population growth, reversing declines seen in 2021 and 2022.
Notably, 2021 recorded South Korea’s first population decrease since statistical tracking began in 1949.
The uptick last year was largely fueled by a 5.6% surge in foreign residents, who increased by 110,000 to total 2.04 million, boosted by eased visa regulations and rising demand for labor.
In contrast, the number of South Korean citizens dropped by 0.2%, reaching 49.76 million—a decline sustained for the fourth year running.
Meanwhile, the working-age demographic (ages 15-64) contracted by 290,000, settling at 36.26 million and comprising 70% of the population—a share that has been steadily falling since 2018.
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