Age composition in 2026:
| China | South Korea | |
|---|---|---|
| Young Population | 14.80%209,163,879 | 9.82%5,065,881 |
| Working Age Population | 70.07%989,972,734 | 68.75%35,474,901 |
| Elderly Population | 15.13%213,777,477 | 21.43%11,059,607 |
In 2026, the median age is 41.7 years in China and 47.2 years in South Korea.South Korea already reached Chinaโs current median age in 2017, about 9 years ahead in population aging.
The total population of China peaks in 2021 at 1,426,437,269.The total population of South Korea peaks in 2020 at 51,858,481.
By 2050, the dependency ratio of China will be 69.1%, and 30.92% of the population will be elderly.By 2050, the dependency ratio of South Korea will be 90.5%, and 39.68% of the population will be elderly.
| China | South Korea | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Demographic dividend (dependency ratio below 50%) | 1996โ2036 | 1987โ2029 | |
| Aging society (65+ reaches 7%) | 2000 | 2000 | |
| Aged society (65+ reaches 14%) | 2023 5 years later | 2018 | |
| Super-aged society (65+ reaches 20%) | 2032 7 years later | 2025 |