South Korea Population & Demographics by Marc Reid

South Korea has the world's lowest birth rate and its total population started to decline in 2021 for the first time in recent history. A recent BBC article showed that the birth rate continued to decline in 2023 to an average of 0.72 babies per woman during her lifetime, well below the 2.1 required to maintain a stable population. The article goes on to say that South Korea's population is on track to halve by the end of the century.

In response, the government has introduced financial incentives such as cash allowances for new-borns, subsidies for fertility treatments, and increased parental leave. Childcare support has also been expanded, and a pilot program to bring in foreign domestic workers aims to reduce the burden of childcare on families.

Institutional measures include the creation of a Ministry of Low Birth Rate Counter Planning and the Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy, which oversee strategies to address low fertility and an aging population.

This visualisation shows a map of Korea's population density with an enlarged section for the capital, Seoul, where almost 20% of the population live. Charts on the right show various demographic trends sourced from the World Bank and KOSIS.