Urban population share in South Korea
81.2% of people in South Korea lived in urban areas in 2025.
South Korea, 2025
81.2%
Change from 2024
0percentage points
World, 2025
57.8%
Median of OECD (38 countries), 2025
80.4%
Position in 2025
54th of 217
Urban population share in South Korea over time
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South Korea
World
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The chart loads when you scroll to it. The table below shows the same data.
The chart shows a calculation from the published values. The table below keeps the published values.
% of total population. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Gaps mean no published value; points are not joined across missing years.
| Period | South Korea | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 81.2% | 57.8% |
| 2024 | 81.2% | 57.6% |
| 2023 | 81.2% | 57.3% |
| 2022 | 81.2% | 57.1% |
| 2021 | 81.2% | 56.8% |
| 2020 | 81.2% | 56.4% |
| 2019 | 81.3% | 56.1% |
| 2018 | 81.4% | 55.8% |
| 2017 | 81.5% | 55.3% |
| 2016 | 81.6% | 54.9% |
| 2015 | 81.6% | 54.4% |
| 2014 | 81.7% | 53.9% |
| 2013 | 81.8% | 53.4% |
| 2012 | 81.9% | 52.9% |
| 2011 | 82.0% | 52.5% |
| 2010 | 82.0% | 51.8% |
| 2009 | 81.9% | 51.4% |
| 2008 | 81.8% | 50.9% |
| 2007 | 81.7% | 50.4% |
| 2006 | 81.6% | 49.9% |
| 2005 | 81.4% | 49.4% |
| 2004 | 81.1% | 48.9% |
| 2003 | 80.7% | 48.4% |
| 2002 | 80.3% | 47.8% |
| 2001 | 79.9% | 47.3% |
A dash means no value was published for that period.
In short
- That is a change of 0 percentage points from 81.2% in 2024.
- Since 2015, when it was 81.6%, the figure has changed by −0.5 percentage points.
- Among the 217 countries with data for 2025, South Korea has the 54th highest value.
- The figure for the world in 2025 was 57.8%.
More for South Korea
All statistics for South Korea
Population estimates and projections
51,748,739 people
2023 · UN Population Division
Median age estimates and projections
44.5 years
2023 · UN Population Division
Fertility rate estimates and projections
0.72 births per woman
2023 · UN Population Division
Population growth estimates and projections
-0.04%
2023 · UN Population Division
Population
51,684,564 people
2025 · World Bank
Population growth
-0.13%
2025 · World Bank