The number of senior citizens in South Korea has surpassed 10 million for the first time.

According to figures released by Statistics Korea on Tuesday as part of the 2024 Population and Housing Census, there were approximately 10-million-122-thousand people aged 65 and older living in South Korea as of November 2023, meaning one in five residents is now a senior.

While the native population declined by zero-point-two percent year-on-year, marking the fourth consecutive year of decline, the total population increased by zero-point-one percent, reaching approximately 51-point-81 million, due to a rise in the number of foreign nationals.

The foreign population grew by five-point-six percent, surpassing two million for the first time and accounting for three-point-nine percent of the total population.

Among foreign residents, ethnic Koreans with Chinese nationality made up the largest group at 26-point-three percent, followed by Vietnamese nationals at 14-point-zero percent and other Chinese nationals at 10-point-nine percent, with the fastest increases coming from Vietnam, Myanmar and Nepal.