South Korea: cities by population
South Korea has a population of 51,600,388 (UN estimate, 2026), with Seoul as its capital. The 50 largest of its 152 recorded towns and cities, ranked.
+10%
since 2000 (46,766,661)
-13%
projected by 2050 (45,143,134)
522
people per km²
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 UN World Population Prospects 2024 (medium variant) where the UN lists the country separately; the handful it reports under a parent state keep a GeoNames figure and are marked as such. Sources & method.
Largest cities in South Korea
| # | 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.
Common questions
What is the population of South Korea?
South Korea has a population of 51,600,388, the UN World Population Prospects estimate for 2026. The UN's medium-variant projection for 2050 is 45,143,134 — a forecast, not a measurement.
What is the capital of South Korea?
Seoul.