Population ages 15-64 in Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea: Population ages 15-64 was 69.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population ages 15-64 in Republic of Korea, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Republic of Korea recorded 69.5% for population ages 15-64 in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population ages 15-64 in Republic of Korea peaked at 73.3% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 53.3%, in 1966.
Republic of Korea ranks 34th of 217 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population ages 15-64 in Republic of Korea, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 55.6% | — |
| 1961 | 55.1% | -0.9% |
| 1962 | 54.5% | -1.0% |
| 1963 | 54.0% | -0.9% |
| 1964 | 53.6% | -0.7% |
| 1965 | 53.4% | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 53.3% | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 53.4% | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 53.6% | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 54.0% | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 54.5% | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 55.0% | +1.0% |
| 1972 | 55.5% | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 56.2% | +1.1% |
| 1974 | 56.9% | +1.4% |
| 1975 | 57.9% | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 58.9% | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 59.8% | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 60.7% | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 61.5% | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 62.1% | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 62.8% | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 63.3% | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 63.9% | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 64.7% | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 65.6% | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 66.4% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 67.3% | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 68.0% | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 68.7% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 69.3% | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 69.8% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 70.1% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 70.4% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 70.7% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 71.1% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 71.5% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 71.8% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 72.0% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 72.0% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 71.9% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 71.8% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 71.7% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 71.7% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 71.7% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 71.8% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 71.9% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 72.0% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 72.2% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 72.4% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 72.6% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 72.9% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 73.1% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 73.2% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 73.3% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 73.3% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 73.3% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 73.1% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 72.8% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 72.5% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 72.1% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 71.5% | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 71.1% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 70.7% | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 70.2% | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 69.5% | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 54.0% | 53.3% | 55.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 57.7% | 54.5% | 61.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 65.3% | 62.1% | 68.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 70.9% | 69.3% | 72.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.9% | 71.7% | 72.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.0% | 72.5% | 73.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.8% | 69.5% | 72.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Republic of Korea
More education data for Republic of Korea
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 132,721 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 40,412 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.23 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) -0.0122 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 1.50 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -2.13 % change on previous year (2024)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population ages 15-64 in Republic of Korea?
- Population ages 15-64 in Republic of Korea was 69.5% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population ages 15-64 recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 73.3% in 2016.
- What is the lowest population ages 15-64 recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 53.3% in 1966.
- How does Republic of Korea rank for population ages 15-64?
- Republic of Korea ranks 34th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population ages 15-64 rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Republic of Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population ages 15-64 (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population between the ages 15 to 64 as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.