Largest cities in South Korea by population
The 36 cities the United Nations Demographic Yearbook 2024 lists for South Korea: the capital and every city of 100,000 or more, with the latest figure the country reported. The largest is Seoul with 9,421,415 people.
Who runs cities in South Korea?
Upper-level local governments (17): 1 special city (Seoul), 6 metropolitan cities, 1 special self-governing city (Sejong), 6 provinces, 3 special self-governing provinces (Jeju, Gangwon, Jeonbuk): Mayor or governor and council directly elected for four years; superintendent of education also directly elected. Regional planning, roads, transport, police support (autonomous police), education (via the education office).
How local power works in South Korea · Level 3: local councils worldwide
| # | City | Population | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seoul (capital) | 9,421,415 | 1 July 2022 |
| 2 | Busan | 3,303,196 | 1 July 2022 |
| 3 | Incheon | 2,975,225 | 1 July 2022 |
| 4 | Daegu | 2,371,593 | 1 July 2022 |
| 5 | Daejeon | 1,472,473 | 1 July 2022 |
| 6 | Gwangju | 1,469,502 | 1 July 2022 |
| 7 | Ulsan | 1,113,508 | 1 July 2022 |
| 8 | Changwon | 1,019,541 | 1 July 2022 |
| 9 | Cheonan | 685,846 | 1 July 2022 |
| 10 | Jeonju | 666,953 | 1 July 2022 |
| 11 | Gimhae | 546,443 | 1 July 2022 |
| 12 | Pohang | 498,424 | 1 July 2022 |
| 13 | Jeju | 494,228 | 1 July 2022 |
| 14 | Gumi | 410,610 | 1 July 2022 |
| 15 | Sejong | 380,410 | 1 July 2022 |
| 16 | Asan | 359,053 | 1 July 2022 |
| 17 | Yangsan | 352,958 | 1 July 2022 |
| 18 | Jinju | 352,011 | 1 July 2022 |
| 19 | Gyeongsan | 293,995 | 1 July 2022 |
| 20 | Iksan | 278,217 | 1 July 2022 |
| 21 | Gunsan | 266,749 | 1 July 2022 |
| 22 | Gyeongju | 259,525 | 1 July 2022 |
| 23 | Geoje | 237,617 | 1 July 2022 |
| 24 | Icheon | 226,603 | 1 July 2022 |
| 25 | Seogwipo | 180,295 | 1 July 2022 |
| 26 | Seosan | 177,765 | 1 July 2022 |
| 27 | Dangjin | 170,122 | 1 July 2022 |
| 28 | Andong | 156,743 | 1 July 2022 |
| 29 | Gimcheon | 137,900 | 1 July 2022 |
| 30 | Tongyeong | 123,556 | 1 July 2022 |
| 31 | Nonsan | 117,101 | 1 July 2022 |
| 32 | Sacheon | 109,026 | 1 July 2022 |
| 33 | Gongju | 106,088 | 1 July 2022 |
| 34 | Jeongeup | 103,480 | 1 July 2022 |
| 35 | Yeongju | 101,891 | 1 July 2022 |
| 36 | Miryang | 101,804 | 1 July 2022 |
Countries define a city in different ways (the city proper, or the wider urban area) and report in different years, so cities in different countries are not always comparable.
More on South Korea: official statistics · government and power · regions
Sources
- United Nations Statistics Division: Demographic Yearbook 2024, Table 8: Population of capital cities and cities of 100 000 or more inhabitants, latest available year, 2005-2024, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0c6784df022e…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.