South Korea: cities by population
South Korea has a population of 51,635,256, with Seoul as its capital. The 50 largest of its 152 recorded towns and cities, ranked.
Figures are the latest available in GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), which draws on national censuses of varying dates — treat them as recent, not same-year. Country totals are GeoNames country data. Sources & method.
| # | Place | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seoul | Seoul | 10,349,312 |
| 2 | Busan | Busan | 3,285,147 |
| 3 | Incheon | Incheon | 3,015,482 |
| 4 | Daegu | Daegu | 2,365,523 |
| 5 | Daejeon | Daejeon | 1,441,203 |
| 6 | Gwangju | Gwangju | 1,401,235 |
| 7 | Suwon | Gyeonggi-do | 1,234,582 |
| 8 | Ulsan | Ulsan | 1,098,421 |
| 9 | Goyang-si | Gyeonggi-do | 1,061,752 |
| 10 | Changwon | Gyeongsangnam-do | 1,025,702 |
| 11 | Seongnam-si | Gyeonggi-do | 914,832 |
| 12 | Cheongju-si | North Chungcheong | 852,147 |
| 13 | Bucheon-si | Gyeonggi-do | 850,731 |
| 14 | Cheonan | Chungcheongnam-do | 658,831 |
| 15 | Hwaseong-si | Gyeonggi-do | 640,890 |
| 16 | Jeonju | Jeollabuk-do | 638,421 |
| 17 | Ansan-si | Gyeonggi-do | 623,256 |
| 18 | Anyang-si | Gyeonggi-do | 595,644 |
| 19 | Kimhae | Gyeongsangnam-do | 531,966 |
| 20 | Pohang | Gyeongsangbuk-do | 492,041 |
| 21 | Jeju City | Jeju-do | 488,844 |
| 22 | Uijeongbu-si | Gyeonggi-do | 479,141 |
| 23 | Masan | Gwangju | 434,371 |
| 24 | Gumi | Gyeongsangbuk-do | 404,691 |
| 25 | Sejong | Sejong-si | 394,630 |
| 26 | Pyeongtaek | Gyeonggi-do | 364,694 |
| 27 | Yangsan | Gyeongsangnam-do | 358,074 |
| 28 | Gwangmyeong | Gyeonggi-do | 357,545 |
| 29 | Wŏnju | Gangwon-do | 332,849 |
| 30 | Chinju | Gyeongsangnam-do | 307,242 |
| 31 | Iksan | Jeollabuk-do | 307,000 |
| 32 | Gunpo | Gyeonggi-do | 286,485 |
| 33 | Chuncheon | Gangwon-do | 284,855 |
| 34 | Suncheon | Jeollanam-do | 276,375 |
| 35 | Yeosu | Jeollanam-do | 268,823 |
| 36 | Mokpo | Jeollanam-do | 268,402 |
| 37 | Gyeongsan-si | Gyeongsangbuk-do | 266,951 |
| 38 | Gunsan | Jeollabuk-do | 264,656 |
| 39 | Hanam | Gyeonggi-do | 254,415 |
| 40 | Gyeongju | Gyeongsangbuk-do | 245,365 |
| 41 | Osan | Gyeonggi-do | 238,788 |
| 42 | Geoje | Gyeongsangnam-do | 232,921 |
| 43 | Chungju | North Chungcheong | 209,483 |
| 44 | Gangneung | Gangwon-do | 208,161 |
| 45 | Gimpo-si | Gyeonggi-do | 203,391 |
| 46 | Icheon-si | Gyeonggi-do | 196,230 |
| 47 | Guri-si | Gyeonggi-do | 195,236 |
| 48 | Yangju | Gyeonggi-do | 179,923 |
| 49 | Seogwipo | Jeju-do | 178,552 |
| 50 | Gijang | Busan | 176,388 |
Twenty years earlier: South Korea in the 2005 World Gazetteer — population then 49,929,293.