North Korea vs South Korea
North Korea
South Korea
| Metric | North Korea | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | Pyongyang | Seoul |
| Population | 26,571,036 | 51,667,029 |
| Area (km²) | 120,538 | 100,363 |
| Population density (/km²) | 220 | 515 |
| GDP per capita (USD) | $1,200 | $36,200 |
| Region | Eastern Asia | Eastern Asia |
| Currency | KPW | KRW |
| Languages | Korean | Korean |
| Main religions | Non-religious, Buddhism, Chondoism | Buddhism, Christianity |
| Time zone | UTC+9 | UTC+9 |
Green highlights the higher value (or higher GDP per capita). Figures are approximate.
At a glance
North Korea and South Korea are both located in Asia (both in Eastern Asia). South Korea has the larger population — about 1.9× the population of North Korea, while North Korea covers more land area.
For full geographic detail, see the North Korea map and the South Korea map.
One peninsula, two states
The Korean Peninsula was a single country for centuries before Japanese colonial rule (1910–45). After Japan's surrender it was divided along the 38th parallel into a Soviet-occupied north and a US-occupied south, and in 1948 two separate governments were founded: the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in Pyongyang and the Republic of Korea in Seoul. Each claims to be the legitimate government of all Korea. Both joined the United Nations in 1991.
The war and the DMZ
North Korea invaded the South in June 1950. The Korean War drew in UN forces led by the United States on the southern side and China on the northern side, and ended with an armistice in July 1953 rather than a peace treaty. The Demilitarized Zone, about 250 km long and roughly 4 km wide, has divided the peninsula ever since, with the joint security area at Panmunjom the main point of contact. North Korea has developed nuclear weapons and long-range missiles, and as of 2026 relations remain tense, with most inter-Korean channels suspended.
Opposite paths
North Korea is the larger of the two by area, but South Korea has about twice the population. The North is a one-party state with a centrally planned economy, strict controls on travel and information and very limited foreign trade, mostly with China; it publishes little reliable economic data. The South is a multiparty democracy and one of the world's largest industrial economies, known for brands in electronics, cars and shipbuilding. The economic gap is very wide: outside estimates put North Korea's income per person at a small fraction of South Korea's.
What they share
Both speak Korean and write it in Hangul, although decades of separation have produced differences in vocabulary, with many English loanwords in the South and native coinages in the North. Ordinary travel between the two is not possible, families separated by the war have met only through occasional organised reunions, and tens of thousands of North Koreans have resettled in the South, most after leaving via China. Seoul lies only about 50 km from the DMZ.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is Korea divided?
- After Japan's defeat in 1945 the peninsula was split into Soviet and US occupation zones, which became two separate states in 1948. The Korean War (1950–53) ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty, so the division continues.
- Are North and South Korea still at war?
- Technically there is no peace treaty; the fighting stopped with the 1953 armistice and the two sides are separated by the Demilitarized Zone.
- Do North and South Koreans speak the same language?
- Yes, both speak Korean and use the Hangul alphabet, though vocabulary has diverged after decades of separation.