Languages spoken in South Korea
Asia · Capital: Seoul · Population 52.1 million
The official language of South Korea is Korean. An estimated 100% of the population speaks it as a first or additional language, or roughly 52.1 million people. Korean belongs to the Koreanic language family. Korean is also spoken in one of its one neighbour: North Korea.
What languages are spoken in South Korea?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| KoreanKoreanic | 100% | Official | 52.1 million |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of South Korea?
The official language of South Korea is Korean. Korean is spoken by an estimated 100% of the population, or roughly 52.1 million people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak Korean in South Korea?
An estimated 100% of South Korea's 52.1 million people speak Korean, which works out at roughly 52.1 million speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about South Korea
- Capital
- Seoul
- Population
- 52.1 million
- Continent
- Asia
- Area
- 100,210 km²
- Currency
- KRW
- Languages recorded
- 1
- Land borders
- 1
- ISO codes
- KR / KOR / 410
Which countries border South Korea?
South Korea shares a land border with one country: North Korea. Korean, the most widely spoken language in South Korea, is also spoken in North Korea.
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.