The registered population of the Republic of Korea as of 2006 was 49,024,737. The population density of the country is 480 persons per square kilometer. As of 2005, the population of North Korea was 24,000,000. Fast population growth was once a serious social problem in the Republic, as in most other developing nations.

Due to successful family planning campaigns and changing attitudes, however, population growth has been curbed remarkably in recent years. The number of people aged 65 and older was up 0.5 percent from 2005 with about 4.56 million, which made up 9.3 percent of the entire population.

[ Source : Korea National Statistical Office ]