Demographic development in South Korea in the final decades of the 21st century saw rapid change across its society. In South Korea, the average age of the population rose from below 20 years in the late-70s to around 45 years today, and it is projected to rise to over 62 years in 2080.
With one of the lowest fertility rates in the world, population aging is one of the largest challenges facing South Korea today. If these projections come true, then South Korea is on course to soon have a smaller working-age population than its combined child and elderly populations. Recent years have shown population aging to be a compounding issue that exacerbates itself - young people often become responsible for providing care for elderly relatives, straining time and financial resources and dissuading many from having their own children. The state must also invest much more money into elderly care and healthcare, often redistributing resources that were previously invested in childcare and education. Although the state (and even some private companies) are now offering financial incentives for couples to have children, it remains to be seen whether these measures will be enough to reverse years of rapid population aging and declining fertility rates.
South Korea: Median age of the population from 1950 to 2021, with projections until 2100
(in years)
Characteristic
Median age in years
2100
59.3
2099
59.4
2098
59.5
2097
59.7
2096
59.8
2095
59.9
2094
60
2093
60.1
2092
60.2
2091
60.3
2090
60.3
2089
60.5
2088
60.6
2087
60.7
2086
60.9
2085
61.1
2084
61.4
2083
61.6
2082
61.8
2081
62
2080
62.1
2079
62.1
2078
62
2077
61.9
2076
61.8
2075
61.7
2074
61.6
2073
61.5
2072
61.4
2071
61.3
2070
61.3
2069
61.2
2068
61.2
2067
61.2
2066
61.1
2065
61.1
2064
61
2063
60.9
2062
60.7
2061
60.4
2060
60.1
2059
59.8
2058
59.5
2057
59.2
2056
58.9
2055
58.5
2054
58.2
2053
57.8
2052
57.4
2051
57.1
2050
56.7
2049
56.3
2048
55.9
2047
55.6
2046
55.2
2045
54.9
2044
54.5
2043
54.2
2042
53.9
2041
53.5
2040
53.2
2039
52.8
2038
52.4
2037
52
2036
51.5
2035
51.1
2034
50.6
2033
50
2032
49.5
2031
49
2030
48.4
2029
47.9
2028
47.3
2027
46.7
2026
46.2
2025
45.6
2024
45.1
2023
44.5
2022
43.9
2021
43.4
2020
42.8
2019
42.2
2018
41.6
2017
41
2016
40.5
2015
39.9
2014
39.2
2013
38.6
2012
37.9
2011
37.3
2010
36.6
2009
36.1
2008
35.5
2007
34.8
2006
34.2
2005
33.6
2004
33
2003
32.4
2002
31.8
2001
31.2
2000
30.7
1999
30.2
1998
29.7
1997
29.3
1996
28.8
1995
28.3
1994
27.9
1993
27.4
1992
26.9
1991
26.3
1990
25.8
1989
25.3
1988
24.7
1987
24.2
1986
23.7
1985
23.2
1984
22.7
1983
22.2
1982
21.8
1981
21.3
1980
20.9
1979
20.4
1978
19.9
1977
19.5
1976
19.1
1975
18.8
1974
18.4
1973
18.2
1972
18
1971
17.8
1970
17.6
1969
17.5
1968
17.5
1967
17.4
1966
17.3
1965
17.4
1964
17.5
1963
17.7
1962
17.8
1961
17.9
1960
17.9
1959
17.9
1958
17.9
1957
17.8
1956
17.7
1955
17.6
1954
17.4
1953
17.3
1952
17.3
1951
17.4
1950
17.6
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United Nations. (July 31, 2022). South Korea: Median age of the population from 1950 to 2021, with projections until 2100 (in years) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 19, 2024, from https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/604689/median-age-of-the-population-in-south-korea/
United Nations. "South Korea: Median age of the population from 1950 to 2021, with projections until 2100 (in years)." Chart. July 31, 2022. Statista. Accessed September 19, 2024. https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/604689/median-age-of-the-population-in-south-korea/
United Nations. (2022). South Korea: Median age of the population from 1950 to 2021, with projections until 2100 (in years). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: September 19, 2024. https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/604689/median-age-of-the-population-in-south-korea/
United Nations. "South Korea: Median Age of The Population from 1950 to 2021, with Projections until 2100 (in Years)." Statista, Statista Inc., 31 Jul 2022, https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/604689/median-age-of-the-population-in-south-korea/
United Nations, South Korea: Median age of the population from 1950 to 2021, with projections until 2100 (in years) Statista, https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/604689/median-age-of-the-population-in-south-korea/ (last visited September 19, 2024)
South Korea: Median age of the population from 1950 to 2021, with projections until 2100 (in years) [Graph], United Nations, July 31, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/604689/median-age-of-the-population-in-south-korea/