Age dependency ratio in South Korea
South Korea: Age dependency ratio was 44.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Age dependency ratio in South Korea, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in % of working-age population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for age dependency ratio in South Korea is 44.0%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 3.3% on the previous year and up 20.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age dependency ratio in South Korea peaked at 87.7% in 1966 and was at its lowest, 36.5%, in 2016.
That places South Korea 184th out of 217 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Age dependency ratio in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of working-age population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 80.0% | — |
| 1961 | 81.6% | +2.0% |
| 1962 | 83.4% | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 85.1% | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 86.5% | +1.6% |
| 1965 | 87.3% | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 87.7% | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 87.4% | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 86.5% | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 85.3% | -1.4% |
| 1970 | 83.5% | -2.1% |
| 1971 | 81.7% | -2.1% |
| 1972 | 80.1% | -2.0% |
| 1973 | 78.0% | -2.5% |
| 1974 | 75.6% | -3.1% |
| 1975 | 72.8% | -3.7% |
| 1976 | 69.8% | -4.1% |
| 1977 | 67.1% | -3.9% |
| 1978 | 64.7% | -3.6% |
| 1979 | 62.7% | -3.1% |
| 1980 | 60.9% | -2.8% |
| 1981 | 59.4% | -2.6% |
| 1982 | 58.0% | -2.2% |
| 1983 | 56.5% | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 54.6% | -3.4% |
| 1985 | 52.5% | -3.8% |
| 1986 | 50.5% | -3.9% |
| 1987 | 48.6% | -3.7% |
| 1988 | 47.0% | -3.4% |
| 1989 | 45.6% | -3.0% |
| 1990 | 44.3% | -2.7% |
| 1991 | 43.3% | -2.2% |
| 1992 | 42.6% | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 42.0% | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 41.4% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 40.6% | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 39.9% | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 39.3% | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 38.9% | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 38.8% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 39.0% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 39.3% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 39.4% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 39.5% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 39.5% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 39.4% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 39.1% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 38.8% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 38.4% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 38.0% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 37.7% | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 37.3% | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 36.8% | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 36.5% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 36.5% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 36.5% | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 36.5% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 36.8% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 37.3% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 37.9% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 38.8% | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 39.8% | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 40.6% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 41.5% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 42.5% | +2.6% |
| 2025 | 44.0% | +3.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 85.1% | 80.0% | 87.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 73.6% | 62.7% | 83.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 53.4% | 45.6% | 60.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 41.1% | 38.8% | 44.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.1% | 38.0% | 39.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.0% | 36.5% | 37.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.2% | 38.8% | 44.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More health data for South Korea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.43 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.1935 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,072 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 69 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate -3.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.0497 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate -3.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.0523 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age dependency ratio in South Korea?
- Age dependency ratio in South Korea was 44.0% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest age dependency ratio recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 87.7% in 1966.
- What is the lowest age dependency ratio recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.5% in 2016.
- How does South Korea rank for age dependency ratio?
- South Korea ranks 184th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age dependency ratio rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Age dependency ratio (% of working-age population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Age dependency ratio is the ratio of dependents--people younger than 15 or older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.