S. Korea's population slightly up in 2025 on immigration: census

South Korea's population slightly increased in 2025 from a year earlier despite low birth rates, driven by a rise in immigration, data showed Tuesday, with the share of foreigners reaching a record high. The total population of Asia's fourth-largest economy came to 51.82 million in 2025, up 0.02 percent from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics. The number of South Korean nationals fell 0.1 percent over the period to 49.71 million, accounting for 95.9 percent of the t