South Korea's Population Grows for Third Consecutive Year as Foreign Residents Hit Record 2.1 Million

According to Statistics Korea, the country's population reached 51.8 million in 2025, up 12,000 from the previous year, marking three consecutive years of growth. The increase was driven by record immigration, as foreign residents climbed to 2.1 million or 4.1% of the total population, offsetting a fifth consecutive annual decline in Korean citizens to 49.7 million.

South Korea officially joined the "super-aged society" club alongside Japan and Italy, with those 65 and older representing 20.7% of the population. The working-age population (15-64) fell below 70% for the first time, declining 393,000 year-over-year, highlighting the country's growing dependence on foreign workers to address labor shortages amid rapid aging.