School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in South Korea
South Korea: School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes was 1.38 million number in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
1.38 million number
Change on year
down 1.0%
World rank
57th
of 205 countries
All-time high
2.72 million number
in 1975
All-time low
1.38 million number
in 2020
Years of data
51
1970–2020
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in South Korea, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in South Korea is 1.38 million number, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 51 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 30.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in South Korea peaked at 2.72 million number in 1975 and was at its lowest, 1.38 million number, in 2020.
South Korea ranks 57th of 205 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in South Korea, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.57 million number | — |
| 1971 | 2.66 million number | +3.8% |
| 1972 | 2.71 million number | +1.6% |
| 1973 | 2.71 million number | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 2.72 million number | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 2.72 million number | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 2.70 million number | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 2.68 million number | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 2.67 million number | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 2.66 million number | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 2.64 million number | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 2.65 million number | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 2.66 million number | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 2.68 million number | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 2.69 million number | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 2.70 million number | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 2.69 million number | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 2.64 million number | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 2.57 million number | -2.5% |
| 1989 | 2.49 million number | -3.1% |
| 1990 | 2.41 million number | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 2.36 million number | -2.0% |
| 1992 | 2.34 million number | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 2.34 million number | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 2.36 million number | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 2.37 million number | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 2.33 million number | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 2.25 million number | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 2.13 million number | -5.2% |
| 1999 | 1.99 million number | -6.3% |
| 2000 | 1.87 million number | -6.2% |
| 2001 | 1.81 million number | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 1.83 million number | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 1.91 million number | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 2.00 million number | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 2.08 million number | +4.0% |
| 2006 | 2.13 million number | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 2.12 million number | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 2.08 million number | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 2.03 million number | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 1.98 million number | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 1.92 million number | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 1.84 million number | -3.9% |
| 2013 | 1.75 million number | -4.9% |
| 2014 | 1.65 million number | -6.0% |
| 2015 | 1.54 million number | -6.5% |
| 2016 | 1.46 million number | -5.1% |
| 2017 | 1.42 million number | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 1.39 million number | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 1.39 million number | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1.38 million number | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.68 million number | 2.57 million number | 2.72 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.64 million number | 2.49 million number | 2.70 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.29 million number | 1.99 million number | 2.41 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.99 million number | 1.81 million number | 2.13 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.63 million number | 1.39 million number | 1.98 million number | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.38 million number | 1.38 million number | 1.38 million number | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More education data for South Korea
- 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)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,024 tertiary education (2024)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0494 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 173,133 (2024)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in South Korea?
- School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in South Korea was 1.38 million number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.72 million number in 1975.
- What is the lowest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.38 million number in 2020.
- How does South Korea rank for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes?
- South Korea ranks 57th out of 205 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to lower secondary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.