๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ต North Koreavs๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea

Total Population
26,633,693
51,600,389
South Korea is 1.9ร— North Korea
Median age
37.8 years
47.2 years
9.4 years apart
Elderly Population Percentage
13.01%
21.43%
8.4 percentage points apart
Growth Rate
0.24%
-0.13%
0.37 percentage points apart

Age composition in 2026:

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ต North Korea ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea
North Korea South Korea
Young Population 18.89%5,031,850 9.82%5,065,881
Working Age Population 68.10%18,136,874 68.75%35,474,901
Elderly Population 13.01%3,464,969 21.43%11,059,607

In 2026, the median age is 37.8 years in North Korea and 47.2 years in South Korea.South Korea already reached North Koreaโ€™s current median age in 2011, about 15 years ahead in population aging.

The total population of North Korea peaks in 2032 at 26,801,083.The total population of South Korea peaks in 2020 at 51,858,481.

By 2050, the dependency ratio of North Korea will be 57.8%, and 21.41% 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.

North Korea South Korea
Demographic dividend (dependency ratio below 50%) 1986โ€“2030 1987โ€“2029
Aging society (65+ reaches 7%) 2002 2 years later 2000
Aged society (65+ reaches 14%) 2029 11 years later 2018
Super-aged society (65+ reaches 20%) 2040 15 years later 2025