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Country comparison

JapanvsSouth Korea

See the biggest differences first, then scan the geographic, economic, and practical reference data.

This comparison uses the latest available atlas values for each country; reporting years can differ by metric.

The biggest differences first

Population

Japan is higher

Japan records 123,975,371, about 2.40× the other value.

Surface area

Japan is higher

Japan records 377,969 km², about 3.76× the other value.

Nominal GDP

Japan is higher

Japan records $4.03 trillion, about 2.15× the other value.

What stands out

Proportional bars and relative differences make the headline numbers easier to read.

Population

🇯🇵 Japan123,975,371
🇰🇷 South Korea51,751,065

Japan’s population is 140% larger than that of South Korea, a difference of 72,224,306.

Surface area

🇯🇵 Japan377,969 km²
🇰🇷 South Korea100,450 km²

Japan’s surface area is 276% larger than that of South Korea, a difference of 277,519 km².

Population density

🇯🇵 Japan328 /km²
🇰🇷 South Korea515 /km²

South Korea’s population density is 57% higher than that of Japan, a difference of 187 /km².

Nominal GDP

🇯🇵 Japan$4.03 trillion · 2024
🇰🇷 South Korea$1.88 trillion · 2024

Japan’s nominal GDP is 115% larger than that of South Korea, a difference of $2.15 trillion.

GDP per capita

🇯🇵 Japan$32,487 · 2024
🇰🇷 South Korea$36,239 · 2024

South Korea’s GDP per capita is 12% higher than that of Japan, a difference of $3,752.

Values use the latest available observations in WorldSumma. Economic reporting years are shown when available and can differ by country.

Full side-by-side comparison

Capital

Tokyo

Seoul

Population

123,975,371

51,751,065

Surface area

377,969 km²

100,450 km²

Population density

328 /km²

515 /km²

Nominal GDP

$4.03 trillion · 2024

$1.88 trillion · 2024

GDP per capita

$32,487 · 2024

$36,239 · 2024

Region

Asia

Asia

Subregion

Eastern Asia

Eastern Asia

Currency

Japanese yen · JPY · ¥

Won · KRW · ₩

Nationality

Japanese

South Korean

Phone code

+81

+82

Internet domain

.jp

.kr

ISO codes

JP / JPN

KR / KOR

Time zone

Asia/Tokyo

Asia/Seoul

Native name

日本

대한민국

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About Japan

Japan, an island nation where ancient traditions meet cutting‑edge technology, captivates visitors with its harmonious blend of natural beauty, cultural depth, and urban dynamism.

Full Japan profile →

About South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, is a sovereign state in East Asia constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula.

Full South Korea profile →

Japan & South Korea: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the capital of Japan?

The capital of Japan is Tokyo.

What is the population of Japan?

Japan has a recorded population of approximately 123,975,371 people.

How big is Japan?

Japan covers an area of about 377,969 km².

What is the population density of Japan?

Japan has a population density of roughly 328 /km² (people per square kilometre).

What is the GDP of Japan?

Japan has a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $4.03 trillion as of 2024.

What is the GDP per capita of Japan?

Japan has a GDP per capita of approximately $32,487.

What currency is used in Japan?

Japan uses the Japanese yen (JPY), with the symbol ¥.

Where is Japan located?

Japan is located in Eastern Asia, Asia.

What is the native name of Japan?

The native name of Japan is 日本.

What are people from Japan called?

People from Japan are referred to as Japanese.

What is the phone calling code for Japan?

The international dialing code for Japan is +81.

What is the internet domain for Japan?

The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Japan is .jp.

What time zone is Japan in?

Japan uses the Asia/Tokyo time zone.

What is Japan known for?

Japan, an island nation where ancient traditions meet cutting‑edge technology, captivates visitors with its harmonious blend of natural beauty, cultural depth, and urban dynamism.

What is the capital of South Korea?

The capital of South Korea is Seoul.

What is the population of South Korea?

South Korea has a recorded population of approximately 51,751,065 people.

How big is South Korea?

South Korea covers an area of about 100,450 km².

What is the population density of South Korea?

South Korea has a population density of roughly 515 /km² (people per square kilometre).

What is the GDP of South Korea?

South Korea has a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately $1.88 trillion as of 2024.

What is the GDP per capita of South Korea?

South Korea has a GDP per capita of approximately $36,239.

What currency is used in South Korea?

South Korea uses the Won (KRW), with the symbol ₩.

Where is South Korea located?

South Korea is located in Eastern Asia, Asia.

What is the native name of South Korea?

The native name of South Korea is 대한민국.

What are people from South Korea called?

People from South Korea are referred to as South Korean.

What is the phone calling code for South Korea?

The international dialing code for South Korea is +82.

What is the internet domain for South Korea?

The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for South Korea is .kr.

What time zone is South Korea in?

South Korea uses the Asia/Seoul time zone.

What is South Korea known for?

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, is a sovereign state in East Asia constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula.