North Korea vs South Korea
North Korea vs South Korea: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 1.47 million people in North Korea and 569,000 people in South Korea, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in North Korea, by 900,000 people, or 2.58 times that in South Korea.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- North Korea has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1985.
- In 2020, North Korea ranked 3 and South Korea ranked 11 of 170 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | North Korea | South Korea | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1.47 million | 569,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 1.47 million | 613,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 1.47 million | 608,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 1.47 million | 634,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 1.47 million | 634,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 1.38 million | 634,500 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 1.38 million | 632,500 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 1.38 million | 659,500 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 1.38 million | 659,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 1.38 million | 659,500 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 1.38 million | 659,500 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 1.38 million | 659,500 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 1.3 million | 692,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 1.3 million | 692,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 1.3 million | 692,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 1.3 million | 693,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 1.3 million | 696,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 1.27 million | 690,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 1.27 million | 690,500 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 1.27 million | 687,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 1.24 million | 687,500 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 1.24 million | 676,500 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 1.24 million | 676,500 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 1.24 million | 676,500 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 1.17 million | 668,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 1.24 million | 641,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 1.1 million | 750,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 1.1 million | 750,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 1.2 million | 750,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 1.2 million | 750,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 1.2 million | 650,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 1.04 million | 647,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 838,000 | 598,000 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 784,000 | 602,000 | – |
| 1983 | 784,000 | 602,000 | – |
| 1982 | 782,000 | 601,000 | – |
| 1981 | 768,000 | 606,000 | – |
| 1980 | 700,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1979 | 692,000 | 638,000 | – |
| 1978 | 632,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1977 | 520,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1976 | 500,000 | 610,000 | – |
| 1975 | 470,000 | 630,000 | – |
| 1974 | 470,000 | 634,000 | – |
| 1973 | 470,000 | 634,000 | – |
| 1972 | 460,000 | 635,000 | – |
| 1971 | 450,000 | 638,000 | – |
| 1970 | 438,000 | 645,000 | – |
| 1969 | 410,000 | 620,000 | – |
| 1968 | 410,000 | 620,000 | – |
| 1967 | 383,000 | 612,000 | – |
| 1966 | 383,000 | 572,000 | – |
| 1965 | 378,000 | 604,000 | – |
| 1964 | 362,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1963 | 352,000 | 627,000 | – |
| 1962 | 380,000 | 570,000 | – |
| 1961 | 390,000 | 570,000 | – |
| 1960 | 400,000 | 650,000 | – |
| 1959 | 380,000 | 650,000 | – |
| 1958 | 360,000 | 650,000 | – |
| 1957 | 340,000 | 650,000 | – |
| 1956 | 320,000 | 650,000 | – |
| 1955 | 300,000 | 730,000 | – |
| 1954 | 280,000 | 630,000 | – |
| 1953 | 260,000 | 504,000 | – |
| 1952 | 211,000 | 335,000 | – |
| 1951 | 100,000 | 196,000 | – |
| 1950 | 120,000 | 109,000 | – |
| 1949 | 60,000 | 69,000 | – |
| 1948 | 200,000 | – | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Correlates of War
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel, with paramilitary forces where they are trained and equipped like soldiers, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Before 1985: Correlates of War Project, National Material Capabilities v7.0; Singer, Bremer and Stuckey (1972), “Capability Distribution, Uncertainty, and Major Power War, 1820–1965”, in Bruce Russett (ed.), Peace, War, and Numbers, Sage, 19–48.
- Ranks count the 170 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
North Korea vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyNorth Korea: 73.6 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityNorth Korea: 1.7 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityNorth Korea: 14.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterNorth Korea: 66.5% in 2022South Korea: 99.3% in 2022
- DepressionNorth Korea: 3.09% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateNorth Korea: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationNorth Korea: 26.4 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthNorth Korea: 0.32% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateNorth Korea: 1.78 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationNorth Korea: 64.2% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageNorth Korea: 36.1 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overNorth Korea: 12% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateNorth Korea: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spending per personNorth Korea: $62 in 2018South Korea: $924 in 2025
- National powerNorth Korea: 1.41% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersNorth Korea: 8.62% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsNorth Korea: 1 million TIV in 2010South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsNorth Korea: 44 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025