South Korea vs North Korea — Country Comparison

The flag of South Korea has a white field, at the center of which is a red and blue Taegeuk circle surrounded by four black trigrams, one in each corner.South Korea VS The flag of North Korea is composed of three horizontal bands — a large central white-edged red band, and a blue band above and beneath the red band. On the hoist side of the red band is a red five-pointed star within a white circle.North Korea

South Korea and North Korea side by side: North Korea is the larger country (120,538 km² vs 100,210 km²), while South Korea has the bigger population (51.2 million vs 25.9 million). The full comparison table below covers capitals, currencies, languages, dialling codes, timezones and more.

Facts last checked 31 August 2026.

FactSouth KoreaNorth Korea
CapitalSeoulPyongyang
Population51,159,88925,950,000
Area100,210 km²120,538 km²
CurrencySouth Korean wonNorth Korean won
LanguageKoreanKorean
Dialling code+82+850
Main timezoneUTC+09:00UTC+09:00
Drives on theRightRight
RegionEastern AsiaEastern Asia
Emergency number112 (police) / 119 (fire & ambulance)112 (works on most mobile networks worldwide)

Visiting South Korea or North Korea?

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. We are also a member of the CJ Affiliate and AWIN affiliate networks. Links below are affiliate links.

AMAZON

South Korea Travel Guide
Plan a trip to South Korea.

Check Price →
AMAZON

North Korea Travel Guide
Plan a trip to North Korea.

Check Price →
AMAZON

Scratch Off World Map
Mark off South Korea, North Korea and everywhere else you have been.

Check Price →

South Korea vs North Korea — FAQ

Which is bigger, South Korea or North Korea?

North Korea is bigger by area: 120,538 km² vs 100,210 km².

Is South Korea bigger than North Korea?

No — North Korea is larger at 120,538 km² vs 100,210 km² for South Korea.

Which has more people, South Korea or North Korea?

South Korea has the larger population: 51,159,889 (51.2 million) vs 25,950,000 (25.9 million).

How does the size of South Korea compare to North Korea?

North Korea (120,538 km²) is larger than South Korea (100,210 km²).

Do South Korea and North Korea use the same currency?

No — South Korea uses the South Korean won and North Korea uses the North Korean won.

Are South Korea and North Korea on the same continent?

Yes — both are in Asia.

What is the time difference between South Korea and North Korea?

South Korea and North Korea are in the same time zone (UTC+09:00).

Do South Korea and North Korea share an official language?

Yes — both share Korean as an official language.

Do South Korea and North Korea share a border?

Yes — South Korea and North Korea share a land border.

Which is more densely populated, South Korea or North Korea?

South Korea is more densely populated at roughly 511 people per km², compared to 215 for North Korea.

More comparisons

This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

Last updated: