South Korea’s total population is expected to fall sharply over the next 50 years due to a chronically low birth rate and a rapidly ageing population, according to data from the country’s statistical office today.
The total population is estimated to decline from 51.67 million last year to 50.06 million in 2040, 42.30 million in 2060 and 36.22 million in 2072, according to Statistics Korea, reported Xinhua.
The population is forecast to record an annual falling rate of 0.16 per cent for a decade starting in 2025, eventually leading to an annual fall of 1.31 per cent in 2072.
The number of newborns was forecast to slide from 250,000 last year to 220,000 in 2025 and 160,000 in 2072, while the number of deaths was projected to increase from 360,000 last year to 690,000 in 2072.
The proportion of the working-age population aged 15-64 to the total population was expected to drop from 71.1 per cent last year to 45.8 per cent in 2072.
The percentage of seniors aged 65 or higher to the total population was estimated to go up from 17.4 per cent to 47.7 per cent during the 50-year period.
Source: New Straits Times
